Girlfriend Duties
by SplishySplash
Summary: Companion piece to Boyfriend Jobs, Ziva does favors for Tony which would constitute as a 'Girlfriend Duty.' Ziva bails him out of jail.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Girlfriend Duties

Author: SplishySplash

Characters: Tony/Ziva/Vance ish

Pairing: T/Z

Genre: Friendship/Comfort

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Summary: Companion piece to Boyfriend Jobs, Ziva does favors for Tony which would constitute as a 'Girlfriend Duty'

**Chapter One: Performance Review**

Watching him pace back and forth was amusing for the first twenty three minutes, but anything after that was just plain annoying. It was time for his performance review and Vance decided to do them himself so nobody was getting off easy, well except Ziva.

The tension had filled the room because Gibbs had taken the day off, offering no moral support for Tony or McGee who drew the short straw and had to go first, leaving Tony to pace nervously. Ziva leaned back, forgoing any work to watch him squirm as he switched between filing and pacing for the third time. His nervousness was making her anxious. He had dressed up for the occasion, wearing one of his nicest black suits and a crisp white shirt hidden underneath his suit jacket and plain navy blue tie. His 'dress to impress' look had worked on her at least and she wasn't shy to admit that he looked good, partially causing her lack of attention.

As he made his fourth attempt to file away old case files, when a slew of inappropriate words filled his side of the bullpen and a slam of the file door before he turned around so that she could see what was the cause of his . . .lack of professionalism. "Damn it."

"Is everything alright over there?" She asked with a lighthearted smile and she received a glare from him causing her to hold her hands up in surrender.

He ignored her teasing and bent over to pick up something from the floor. When he stood to full height Ziva could see a small plastic button from his shirt and a gap third from the top where it use to live.

His face fell and full panic mode began to set in.

But before Tony could put anymore words together, Ziva pushed herself back from her desk and opened her top drawer, digging through the contents. "This can't be happening." He whined, opening his desk roughly to search for a replacement shirt.

Or lack thereof.

The one in his desk was wrinkled beyond repair and had probably been in there for months."I don't have time for this. . ." He muttered, digging for the nonexistent shirt in his other drawers or hard liquor, whichever he found first.

Ziva found what she was looking for and crossed the small space between them and waited for him to look up at her, but another slam of the desk drawer came his response. "Tony." She said, but she was ignored and normally she would've waited until he noticed her, to let him fret for a bit longer, but his time drew thin and to catch his attention she grabbed his chin to look at her. "Stop, Tony you need to calm down."

"Calm down? I have a performance review in five minutes and I look like hell. . ." His voice rose in pitch, shaking off her grip and side stepping her to search McGee's desk for a spare.

She blocked his move and placed a hand on his chest. "You need to calm down." She said repeated, showing him the sewing kit. "Tony, you will be fine." She reached in the bag and pulled out white colored thread that matched his shirt before reaching around him to grab the white button that rested on the desk.

Ziva cut the string with her knife that hid in her pocket before she stuck the end of the thread in her mouth and his eyes glued to her lips as the end disappeared between them, sticking the thread together. She pulled the end out of her mouth and the thread went into the eye on the first try before tying a knot in the end. Ziva didn't bother waiting for him to unbutton the top two buttons that got into her way and her fingers slid under his shirt as she found the correct spot on his shirt, lining up the holes into place before shoving the needle up the hole and he released a breath that she realized that he was holding.

Her pattern was a simple crisscross until taut against his shirt. Ziva tied it off and he trusted her enough to not flinch when she cut the excess string before setting the needle on the desk.

Ziva David wasn't one to leave a job unfinished, so she shoved the knife back into her pocket and Ziva buttoned it back up slowly before patting his chest. "All done." She said with a smile, they both looked at her hand for a moment before a smile broke on to his face.

"You just saved my life." He said excitedly cupping her cheeks and pressing a kiss to her forehead, before he took a step back. "Thank you." It should've been awkward, but it wasn't.

"It is not a problem." She answered and turned to walk to her desk, but stopped in the middle of the bullpen, turning to look at him with a smile. "I do not understand why you are so rallied up about this evaluation, you have never given it a thought in the past."

"Its riled up." He corrected as he tugged on his tie."Because I usually write my own performance eval, it's not like I give myself a perfect score or anything but I don't know what to expect from Vance."

She took a step back to him, reaching out to fix his tie for him and settle his collar. "I do not think he will care what you wear, or at least he shouldn't." She said, gaining a chuckle from the man and as she finished she patted him on the chest again. "For what it is worth, I think you are very good at your job."

Before he could even blush at her comment, Vance's secretary called him from the top of the stairs, signaling it was his turn and the feeling in his stomach dropped. "Good luck." She said, kissing him on the cheek before making her way to her own desk.

Slowly he wandered towards the stairs and took them one at a time, but turning to give her one last look which rewarded him with a small wave from her and his confidence tripled as he turned to take the rest of the steps at a trot, but in the scheme of things it was her opinion that mattered to him, not the directors and if she thought he was good at his job, he was okay without the raise.

She released a breath that she was holding and sat back in her desk, searching for her next task and suddenly paperwork seemed unappetizing. As a last resort, she got up and wandered towards the elevator, she was going to need a Berry Mango Madness to get her back on track.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Broken Leg

Author: SplishySplash

Characters: Tony/Ziva/Gibbs

Pairing: Tony/Ziva

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Friendship

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Summary: Ziva has to play nurse maid to Tony who broke his leg.

A knock on the door made her look up from her place on the sofa.

With her feet bare she wandered over to the large oak door and out of careful habit she peeked through the peep hole to see the silhouette of her boss standing in the hallway. She opened the door and was greeted with his stony smile. "How is he doing?" He asked as Ziva shut the door behind him.

"He is sleeping." She said as Gibbs turned took notice of the familiar living room, which was spotless save for the throw resting in a heap at the end of the couch and an upturned book on the coffee table. He turned around and took notice of her clothing which consisted of her black t-shirt and white basketball shorts that were rolled up to keep them on her waist, that were clearly not her.

Gibbs nodded and followed her down the hall with a small smile as her bare feet padded lightly down the hallway to Tony's tidy bedroom. She pushed the door open slightly for him to step in to see crutches resting in the corner near the bed as the TV played a movie from its place on the wall and even Gibbs recognized it as Star Wars episode V. Tony was asleep on his back with his left leg elevated on spare blankets and pillows, splinted to keep it in place. She brushed past Gibbs to put a fallen ice pack that rested on the floor back on his leg before covering his uninjured one with the blanket. She turned the TV off as the credits began to roll and joined Gibbs back at the door.

Tony sighed and turned his head, but remained unconscious and to Gibbs he looked content under the layer of blankets, despite his leg being recently broken. They stepped out of the bedroom and she pulled the door by before leaning against the door frame. "Has he been asleep long?" Gibbs asked, folding his arms.

She pulled her phone from the waistband of her shorts and checked the time. "He took another dose of pain medication almost five hours ago and has been asleep since." She commented as she placed the phone back in its spot. "I am going to make him something to eat, if you would like to wait . . ."

He shook his head and he opened the door. "I am going to go finish the paperwork. I just came over to make sure you both are okay." He declined almost tiredly and he realized that he needed some coffee before both McGee and him caught up on the paperwork that they were missing out on. "Call if you need anything."

She smiled warmly. "I will be fine." She answered, leaning her head on the door gaining a disbelieving look from her boss. "Tony will be fine."

"You know how DiNozzo gets when he is on pain medications. . ." He said and her smile grew brighter, he was playing protective father. It was not a side that one saw all too often of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, but under his stoic stance he cared for his teammates.

Her hand squeezed his arm. "It is nothing I cannot handle." He opened his mouth to retort when she interrupted with another smile. "I promise not to hurt him if he becomes. . ." She could not remember the word to use. Tony was more of a flirt when he was under the influence of drugs and soon after that stage his hands were a magnet to her.

"A handful?" Gibbs asked, filling the blank for her.

She let out a laugh. "He has not really been coherent, so I do not think he will be much of a problem." She said as he started to walk backwards down the hallway slowly and Gibbs gave her that paternal look, the one that made her do whatever he wanted even if she didn't want too. "I will call if I need anything." He raised his eyebrows like he caught her in a lie. "I promise."

"Good night." He said as he turned to hit the elevator button.

She wished him a good night and shut the door lightly before she padded over into the freshly scrubbed kitchen. She had spent the better part of Tony's drug induced sleep picking up his apartment by picking up discarded clothing around his bedroom, so that he would not trip on the way to the bathroom. The bathroom was her next project, which led her to the sitting room and it was covered with years of dust and displaced DVD's sitting among a week's worth of soda and beer bottles. Her next task was the kitchen, which seemed almost abandoned compared to the rest of the apartment and just needed a good scrub down to look almost new. She had just finished and picked up a book from his small library of mystery and entertainment books and sat down when Gibbs had stopped by.

She used the remote to turn on his stereo system to a quiet medley of music that they both enjoyed and turned to the fridge to pull out the ingredients to make him a simple dinner.

When he awoke, he was completely disorientated.

His brain was fuzzy and his mouth was dry, but he did recognize his own bedroom through the shadows. He also noticed that his left was elevated and splinted, suddenly it was a flash back to a movie like scene when he broke it pushing a small child out of the way of a vehicle after he escaped from the confines of the stroller. The truck didn't have a chance at slowing down and it clipped his ankle, which was the only part of his body that didn't make it out of the way as he hit the asphalt, leaving scrapes along the opposite side of his body.

But he after that was fuzzier. He remember Ziva there and maybe even Gibbs somewhere in the mix, he remembered the ambulance ride and Ziva arguing with the paramedics, winning the argument and holding his hand on the way to the hospital, but after that it blank.

Voices outside his room made him realize that he wasn't alone, but he couldn't make out what they were saying through his drug haze. The haze made it so that he didn't care who was currently in his apartment listening to his . . . stereo? As long as they didn't mess with the precise organization of his DVD collection, he didn't care.

The voices stop and the playlist hummed lightly in the background before he heard light footsteps towards the bedroom. The door opened slightly and Ziva padded over barefoot with a plate in her hand. "How are you feeling?" She asked quietly as she sat the plate down on his dresser. He tried to sit up, but his muscles screamed in protest and he groaned. Ziva was at his side in the blink of an eye and she pulled him up so that his back was against the headboard with his leg still elevated on the mountain of pillows. "Is this better?"

He nodded. "Much better." He answered hoarsely as she reached for the bottle of water on his bedside table and took a seat next to him on the small space between him and the edge of the bed. He drank quickly as if he hadn't had any water in weeks. "Thank you."

"How are you feeling?" She asked again tenderly, checking his bandages for blood.

He shrugged and immediately regretted it. "Fine." Tony answered shortly with a wince as she poked one of his bandages. "Okay that's a lie, the pills are wearing off."

Ziva finished cataloguing his abrasions and she got up. "We need to change the bandages and then you can have some more." She said as she disappeared into his adjoining bathroom to return with a melee of first aid supplies before she stopped at his dresser and grabbed a clean shirt.

She sat the first aid supplies on the bed and moved to the hem of his shirt, with ease she gently pulled it off his head to prevent any strain on his aching muscles. Her next task was to pull off all the tape that littered the side of his body which made his hiss as the adhesive caught his chest, arm or leg hair, but the antibiotic cream that went on next was soothing and Tony couldn't take his eyes off her as she concentrated on patching him up.

He still had some of the Vicodin in his system and he could still fill the affects of it as he fought to remain in control of his actions around her, he had heard from his coworkers about his handsy nature while under the influence and god forbid he did not want his arm broken or worse, Gibbs to be his nurse. He swallowed hard as her hair fanned just enough so that he couldn't read her face leaving him to reach over and brush it back behind her ears with a 'screw it' attitude, maybe she would break his left arm. But he only gained a glance before she returned her attention to the rash on his skin. She was tender and almost maternal in her touch, but before he knew it she was finished and she fed his head through the hole of the shirt, followed by each arm and he was surprised that it didn't hurt at all.

She got up and he missed the warmth that her small body gave at his side to cross the room, grabbing the plate and pill bottles. "Would you like your pills now or later?" She asked as she shook them lightly. Tony frowned, he also knew that the pain medication would knock him out after awhile and he didn't want to sleep. "I am giving you a choice, because if you turn them down I will force them down your throat later."

"I will take them now then." He conceded and she sat the plate on his lap before opening both pill bottles with ease. The white oblong pill and two yellow circle one found their way into his hand followed by a bottle of water and he put them on his tongue, knowing full well if she suspected that he was faking in any way, she would check and then things would get ugly.

They went down and he eyeballed the sandwich on his lap, it was made just the way that he liked it: turkey, mayonnaise, lettuce and provolone cheese cut diagonal. He took the right slice and ate it contently. "Would you like to watch a movie?" Ziva asked, breaking the silence briefly. He nodded and she got up to pick one from the stash next to his TV, which was just an abbreviated version of the one in the sitting room and Tony watched her long fingers skim the titles. She settled for a Tom Cruise classic from the position of the case that she slipped from its place and she put the disk in the player. Jerry McGuire, a personal favorite.

As she walked back to him, he had finished both halves of the sandwich in record time. Wish a surprised glance, she took the plate from him and handed him the remote before walking out of the room and down the hall.

He didn't know how long it was until she returned, the medication started to kick in. Ziva adjusted the mountain of pillows and traded out the ice pack for a heat pack, before tucking the blanket around him securely. As she turned to leave the room, he caught her hand. "Where are you going?" He asked sleepily.

"I will be on the couch if you need anything." She said tenderly, patting his hand with her free one.

He frowned. "Stay?" He asked and it seemed as if his ability to form complete sentences had disappeared. She rolled her eyes with a smile as she walked around the bed, throwing back the covers and climbing in into the free side of the bed. With her back against the headboard she glanced at him with an expectant look. "Thank you."

She nodded as her eyes turned to the movie and Tony's attention turned to her. Before he knew it, his fingers were tracing patterns on her arm slowly drawing response from her swatting his hand away gently. She glanced up at him with a smile, when his hand continued for the second time. "Yes?"

"Your skin is so soft." He slurred with a cocky smile.

"You are high." She answered, turning her attention back to Tom Cruise.

His attention didn't falter and his hand left her arm to free her hair from its confines of the pony tail, freeing her curls to rest on her shoulders. She glanced over to him and shook her head, choosing to ignore him rather that deal with him. "I know I don't tell you enough, but you are beautiful." She turned to look at him again and his hand traced down her jaw.

His balance was thwarted by the drugs that made him feel heavy, so instead of being the romantic that he thought he was, he ended up in her lap with a yelp of pain has his thickly bandaged leg barely gave way to the awkward movement.

She gave a laugh as she pushed him back up to a seated position. "I think it is time for you to go back to sleep." She said lightly as she got up to adjust the pillows and gently helped him slide down, despite his protests.

"I don't want to sleep." He whined as she crawled back into bed with him and pulled the blanket higher onto his chest, he took advantage of her reaching over him by grabbing her arms, giving her a small yank so that she lost her balance and with the grace of a dancer she straddled his waist as to not hurt his injured leg or scrapes.

She rolled her eyes and pushed herself up, leaning over enough to allow her hair to fan from her shoulders onto his chest and his hands went to her waist. "I do not think you are up to this kind of activity Tony." She said playfully.

His gaze grew dark as he pushed the hair back behind her ear, trailing his fingers on the curve of her neck and bringing a shiver from her as he pulled her close to him allowing his hands to trace down her back in the process. "As I recall, you like it on top." He said with a growl.

She laughed again as she climbed off of him, before lying on her back next to him. "It is not going to happen, Tony." She answered and instead of an argument, silence filled his side of the bed and so she rolled her head to glance at him to see that he was snoring lightly.

He had fallen asleep.

With the mother of all eye rolls, she rolled onto her side and reached for the remote that was currently on Tony's opposite side and shut off the movie. With a sigh she fell back into place on the bed, too worked up to sleep.

She turned to look at him with a sigh and watched him breathe, in and out, until it lulled her into a soft slumber.

When Tony woke some time near 0300 am, he was surprised to see a dark haired mass curled into his side. Even in her sleep she was gentle as her head rested on his chest, her arm across his waist mindful of his scrapes. He brushed his hand through her hair, tucking it behind her ear and resting it on her waist before dozing off again. He was glad that Ziva had volunteered to play his nurse because if it was Gibbs, this position might've been awkward.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Birthday

Author: SplishySplash, Carly

Characters: All are in Play

Ship: T/Z

Genre: Comfort/friendship/the closest to romance in the series

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Summary: It was probably the worst day of his life, but Ziva turns it around for him.

It was probably one of the worst days of his life, right up there with the day he caught the plague, Kate dying, Gibbs being blown up, Jenny dying and leaving Ziva in Israel. McGee was now in an operating room after being shot in the shoulder after the scene turned into a massive gun fight. He flinched when he thought of the slap he was going to get from Gibbs for not safely maintaining the scene and he disserved it, their suspect and then some where now on their way to the morgue via the Beltway and McGee was under a surgeon's knife to repair the muscles in his shoulder.

He was in so much trouble.

The linoleum underneath him was cold and the wall behind him was hard, he didn't disserve comfort. Tony's muscles were sore, mostly coming off the adrenaline high and being tackled by Ziva in their attempts to dodge the bullets. McGee wasn't so lucky, to have a crazy ninja to push him out of the way, he was behind a cement pillar shooting at the suspects whereas Tony and Ziva had the protection of a car.

One clip down and the start of the second when it grew silence, save for a cry that escaped the probie's mouth as he hit the floor. Tony was the last one to get off a shot, he had shot McGee.

Tony was the first to jump up from behind the car and trot over to the Probie, followed by his partner who had her jacket off and pressed to his blood soaked shoulder. She took control of the situation by grabbing Tony's hands and pressing it to his shoulder so that she could call for an ambulance and securing the scene with such finesse that it looked as if Tony had kept control instead of slipping into a slight daze.

Gibbs was her next call as Tony focused on keeping McGee talking, covering him with his own jacket to prevent shock and when the ambulance arrived, Ziva had stayed behind to process the scene after kissing the probie on the forehead and preceded to boss the local LEO's as she waited for Gibbs and their NCIS replacements.

And now he waited.

The ticking clock of his blood covered watch was mocking him. It was like Captain Hook and the crocodile of youth chasing after him and it was giving him a headache.

The ticks eventually gave way to footsteps and a pair of recognizable, sensible yet fashionable, boots stopped in front of him for just a moment before walking passed him slightly before a body took up residence against his side. "Hey." She said quietly.

"Hey." Tony said and he didn't have anything else to say.

She was patient as her posture mimicked his, her short legs next to his long ones stretched into the hallway and her back against the wall, gaze at the wallpaper on the other wall. "How. . ." She started before he interrupted with his eyes closed.

"I haven't heard anything since they took him back there." His voice was hoarse and scratchy, but he felt he deserved to be uncomfortable.

She turned to look at him and frowned when he didn't return the look, he looked years older with the bags under his eyes and worry lines filled his normally carefree face. "That is not what I was going to ask." She said softly, "How are you doing."

He inhaled deeply. "I shot McGee in the shoulder, how do you think I'm feeling?" He snapped with a glare in her direction, but he looked away apologetically. "I'm sorry you don't deserve to be yelled at for my stupidity."

A hand went to his shoulder, rubbing at the tension that had filled his muscles. "Do not hurt yourself over this, it was only an accident." She answered softly.

"Beat myself up." He corrected and shook his head before looking into his lap. "He could've been killed, you know just a little more to the left and. . ." He choked slightly, sure he had shot people before but none of them were people who he actually cared for.

Ziva grabbed his jaw and forced him to look at her. "But it did not happen." She said firmly, her hand caressing his cheek. "We must be grateful for that, McGee is okay and he will continue to be."

They fell into a companionable silence and it was as if they were the only two in the hallway. She had taken his large hand into her smaller hand, lacing their fingers together to give him the support that he needed. He sighed and closed his eyes. "It still sucks though." He said attempting to lighten his situation, but it fell short.

Ziva turned to glace at him. "It is not like McGee was the first to be shot by accident and that you were the first to shoot somebody by accident." She said nonchalantly with a shrug and turned her gaze back to the ugly wallpaper across from them. "And besides the bullet might have not have been from your gun, Abby is still processing all the shell casings. . ."

It was his turn to glance at her with a skeptical glare. "Might not have been mine? I got the last shot off. . ." He started when she interrupted him.

"Until we get the bullet to Abby, we do not know whose gun it came from. McGee could have been hit by a ricochet bullet or he could have been shot long before he realized it, there was a lot of blood."

Tony gave a humorless laugh and rolled his eyes. "Or that I hit an artery or something vital."

"Stop Tony." She said firmly, it left no room for argument. "McGee is okay and he will be fine." He opened his mouth to argue, but she beat him to the punch. "And before you can start blaming yourself you should know that you could not have done anything different to have prevented this." She left him with no argument.

It was silence again and Tony opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, trying to get rid of the silence. "The answer is yes, I have shot somebody on accident." She answered with a smile. "And no I will share that story." Tony smiled, the first real smile in hours. "No, you will not charm me in to telling you."

She was a mind reader, but he decided to drop it for now. His stomach rumbled and he looked at his watch, he had been sitting on the floor for too long that his muscles ached and he was hungry. He felt Ziva shift and rummage through her backpack, pulling out a small Tupperware container and handed it over to him.

He pulled the lid off and was slightly shocked to see a piece of cake on the inside of it. "Happy Birthday Tony." She said almost disappointed by the appearance of the piece of cake, some of the frosting had stuck to the sides and the lid during transit.

He had forgotten his birthday. He looked between the cake and his partner before his smiled softened gratefully. "Thank you." He said admiring the thought she put into the simple act of friendship.

She returned the soft smile. "You are very welcome." She said almost shyly, well what was shy for Ziva David anyway. "The rest of the cake is much better looking than this."

"It's perfect." He said softly.

She turned again and dug through her bag, this time pulling out a single candle and a fork. She placed the candle in the center of the cake. "Now it is almost perfect." She corrected, handing him a fork. He closed his eyes and her face fell slightly. "What are you doing?"

It was as if he could tell that she frowned and he opened his eyes again. "I am pretending that we can light this candle so I can make a wish." He said, closing his eyes again tightly before opening them again and blowing out the imaginary flame.

He dug his fork into the soft cake and put it in his mouth. It was heaven in bake goods form, a swirl of buttermilk frosting and chocolate cake with a small layer of raspberry filling. His eyes closed again, absorbing the flavors with a quiet moan. "This is the best thing I have ever tasted in my entire life."

She smiled at his approval. "I guess it is a good thing that I made you a whole cake then." She said.

He took another bite. "So you are trying to make me fat." With another bite and a moan he spoke again. "It will be worth it."

"I am glad you enjoy it." She responded with a smile, happy that he could escape for just a moment.

He looked at the cake and looked at her before he took another piece and offering it to her. She looked at it and shook her head, but he insisted by putting it closer to her face with the roll of her eyes she took a bite and caught the crumbs that missed her mouth. "You know if you were to give up investigating crimes to bake cakes, I would completely support you." He said with another bite.

"I will take that into consideration." She said with a chuckle as he offered her another bite of the yummy goodness.

The cake finished and he all but licked the container clean of its homemade frosting, when he put the lid back on and set it on the side of him. "Thank you." He said softly and she looked up at him with her own soft smile. Her hand went to his face, using her thumb to wipe off the frosting that rested on his lip. He leaned into her touch, but was interrupted by two long legs covered in sea foam scrubs that made her drop her hand and both of them look up.

"Are you two here with Timothy McGee?" Asked the surgeon, who was still dressed as if he had just come from the operating room in the sterile gown and hair hairnet, looking exhausted as he wiped that sweat from his forehead with a rag.

Ziva was first to jump onto her feet, but Tony was slow to get up. His aching muscles just realized that he wasn't as young as he used to be and sitting on the hard floor for hours didn't help him much. As he struggled to get up on his feet, Ziva grabbed his arm and hefted him onto his feet with a grunt, choosing not to make a joke about his age or his weight as the mood shifted to serious.

Gibbs walked into the hospital almost resigned. Dealing with a new team and Abby was certainly exhausting, but nothing five cups of coffee and a CafPow couldn't fix. Once he squared away the evidence he left the chaos of the Navy Yard to check on McGee.

He hadn't talked to Tony since it had happened and Ziva had explained the situation with her own concern for not only McGee's wellbeing, but Tony's as well. She handled everything by the book and without complaint as she helped the other team secure the scene.

When she finished zipping her bag for the final time and stood to full height he had handed her the keys, her own Charger was now evidence and he gave her the okay to go sit with Tony and to keep him updated until he could get there.

Almost an hour after she left he was finally able to leave the other team to process the evidence so that he could check on his own team. When he entered the hallway he saw them sitting side by side as Ziva pulled out a small container, handing it to him with a small smile. Tony still looked distressed, but calmed as he opened it his anguish was replaced by a huge smile. She was always taking care of him, no matter how much of an uncaring front she put up, she was always the maternal one and she was good at it. Tony took a bite out of a piece of cake and closed his eyes with a look that could only be described as blissful.

Tony cut a piece of the cake with the fork and held it out for her to take, she tried to deny it and he all but placed the fork to her lips before she opened her mouth. Gibbs wasn't entirely surprised by the two of them, having an intimate moment on the linoleum floor in a crowded hospital. And he wasn't overly surprised when she wiped off the frosting of his lips slowly, but Tony was.

If the moment hadn't been cut short by a doctor dressed in surgical gear Gibbs would've placed a bet on Ziva leaning over and kissing the younger agent, nothing too over the top but enough to make him feel better about the situation. They jumped away as if caught and Gibbs' lip cracked a very small smile as they climbed up to their feet. Tony was first to extend his hand and introduce them. "I'm Tony and this is Ziva." He said and she shook the surgeon's hand, it was then that he saw Gibbs nearing them. "This is our boss, Jethro Gibbs."

The doctor moved to allow Gibbs into their little circle and shook his hand before he continued. "My name is Doctor Brian Carter and I did Special Agent McGee's surgery." He started, his voice was deep and soothing, but it sounded like he was about to give some bad news. Tony's hand searched for Ziva's much smaller one, needing her strength more than ever. "He is doing great and is in the process of being moved into a room, he should be able to go home in a couple of days and with a little bit of therapy he will make a full recovery."

Gibbs and Ziva both let out the breath they were holding, but Tony seemed surprised. "Nothing important was hit?" He asked slowly as if the doctor would change his story.

The doctor frowned slightly. "No, the bullet was lodged in the Deltoid muscle and it was not a through shot. The bullet was sent to your lab about twenty minutes ago as requested and he is waking up as we speak, would you like to see him?"

Gibbs nodded and the three followed him down the maze of halls until they reached a sliding glass door. "Special Agent McGee your friends are here to see you." The doctor announced and McGee turned his head, looking groggy but a smile on his face.

"Hey Tim." Gibbs said as he walked closer to the bed. "How are you feeling?"

Gibbs made the distraction for Tony to tense up and Ziva to stand up on her toes and whisper into his ear. The older agent couldn't hear what she said to him, but the younger one visibly calmed and smiled again. "I have been better." He rasped and Gibbs picked up the pitcher of water, filling the cup up and holding it for him to sip from the straw. "But I guess it could be worse."

"That's the spirit McGee." Tony said encouragingly.

Ziva left his side to press her lips to his forehead as Gibbs cell phone vibrated from his pocket. He excused himself as Ziva sat on the side of the bed and Tony took the chair next to the bed, scooting it close that his knees were touching Ziva's as they chatted quietly. "Yeah Gibbs."

"The bullet isn't from either Tony's or Ziva's guns." Abby reported anxiously, he could tell that she was trying her hardest to remain composed for him, but her voice gave her away. "The particulates suggest that it ricocheted from a pillar and I have it all . . ."

"Good work Abs." He said and he was proud that she was able to remain composed until they knew who the bullet came from. "He just came out of surgery and he is doing good."

She released the breath she had been holding since she heard he was in the hospital. "I am almost to the hospital."

"I will see you when you get here." He answered and clicked the phone off, when he stepped back in the room he had to shake the relieved smile off his face as he saw Tony's hand rested on Ziva's lower back and his thumb trace patterns on the exposed skin. The two had a tendency to play grab ass any chance they thought he wasn't around and he made his presence known by smacking him upside the head, much more gentle than he would usually, contrary to popular belief he did care for the wellbeing of his team and Tony had had a bad day. His hand immediately dropped to his side and a quiet 'sorry boss' came from him out of habit. "Abby is on her way, why don't you two head out and get some rest.

They shared a look and nodded obediently, Ziva kissed him again on the forehead and Tony tussled his hair with promises that they'd visit tomorrow. Tony went first and opened the door and Gibbs stood up to whisper in Ziva's ear, gaining a nod and a good night from their newest agent. "See you McGee, Boss." Tony said one more time as he waited for Ziva to pass him before he pulled the door shut behind him.

They walked towards the elevator slowly, mostly because of Tony's aching muscles. Ziva watched him almost surprised that he wasn't the least bit curious as to what Gibbs had whispered into her ear. He turned to look at her with a curious smile. "What?"

She shook her head and smiled. "Nothing, you just look grown up." She said referring to the untucked shirt that was mostly unbuttoned, his hair a mess from running his fingers through it to help relieve his stress.

He stretched his aching muscles and yawned, not looking at the watch on his wrist because he knew it would betray him. "If this is what growing up feels like, it sucks." He said.

She rubbed his arm and smiled. "Growing up is not that bad, I mean it has its . . ." She started, forgetting the word the was looking for.

"Perks?" He offered as they turned down another hallway, towards the double doors that they had waited on the other side of. She nodded thoughtfully, with that look she gave when she was storing that information for another use. "What sort of perks?" His eyebrow raised suggestively.

She elbowed him in the ribcage. "That was not what I was suggesting." She said with a laugh, wrapping her arm around his waist and looping her finger through his belt loop as his arm went around her shoulder.

"What were you suggesting?" He asked.

This was the Tony that had been hidden away behind the scared grown up. "You do not have a curfew. . ." She started before he interrupted.

"You were suggesting it!" He said excitedly, squeezing her tightly against his side.

She shook her head and looked up at him with an amused glare. "I was suggesting dinner." She answered. "And maybe a movie."

"You had me at dinner." He said as they reached the elevator, he reached out and pressed the button. "Actually I am hoping for another piece of that amazing cake."

"That can be arranged." She responded lightly.

The elevator opened and it was crowded with people leaving the maternity ward, each having flowers and balloons save for the young woman in the wheelchair and her baby in her arms. They stepped inside, taking up the remaining space and shared a coy glance.

As Tony turned to stare at the double doors and Ziva watched him, she could practically seen the wheels turning inside his head. She could read him like a book, he was curious as to what Gibbs whispered to her, but he respected her enough not to pester her. He noticed her watching him, he looked down at her with his side smile and confused eyebrows. "What?"

She shrugged as the elevator stopped with a slight bounce, enough to startle the infant into newborn shrill squeaking, but they left the group to console the infant as they headed towards the exit. "Maybe you have grown up." She commented, looking up at him.

His eyebrow rose even higher and shook his head, playing it off. "I don't know what you are talking about Ms. David."

She ignored him and she stopped walking for a moment to gain his full attention. "You are dying to know what Gibbs told me." She said as a matter of fact. "But you are not bothering me for it."

It was his turn to shrug modestly. "I figured if it was important to me then you would tell me." He said.

"Well it is important that I tell you that the bullet did not come from either of our guns." She said and it was like a weight had lifted from his shoulders as he gathered her up in his arms tightly, lifting her off the ground in his excitement. "I did not want to say anything in front of Tim." She was breathless from being squeezed.

"That is the best news I've heard all day." He answered, muffled by her shoulder. A cough from in front of them startled them and he sat her back down to her feet, slowly taking a step back almost coyly from each other. "Hey Abs."

"What has you so happy?" She asked almost grumpily.

Tony shared a look with Ziva and frowned, Abby was upset because she had to work while they waited for McGee. She looked a mess, her pigtails low and uneven and if it was possible she looked paler. Tony opened his arms and she stepped inside his embrace with Ziva's hand on her back.

She wasn't there long, when she looked up her demeanor had changed at the speed of a caffeine-addicted forensic scientist with ADHD could and she had a broad smile on her face. "I see why you like this." She said to Ziva. "He is comfy and very good at giving hugs."

Tony's smile grew cocky and Ziva hid a flush as Abby threw her arms around Ziva. "McGee is awake and waiting for you." That put her on the right track as she took a step back, turning to the elevator before turning back to face them. Ziva explained to her how to get to McGee before she disappeared into the elevator.

His arm went back around her shoulders as she led the way through the double doors. "Was my little ninja blushing back there?" He asked smugly.

She looked up and glared, poking him in the ribs roughly. "I do not blush, Tony and if you do not drop it you will not make it long enough to get another piece of cake."

He grunted before he let out a laugh. "Okay ninja's don't blush, got it." He said as they reached her car. She unlocked it with the remote and climbed into it in a companionable silence as she started the car. When she pulled away from the hospital he spoke again. "So. . . What's for dinner?"

She rolled her eyes, but smiled. "What would you like for dinner?"

He had chosen something simple for dinner, well something outlandish in her book, but pancakes were simple to make. That sat at her table and chatted idly as the clock neared midnight, when Ziva yawned signaling that it was probably time to go to bed.

Tony stood up with his plate and grabbed hers on the way to her kitchen, but she grabbed his arm to stop him. "I can do that." She said, unfolding her legs and put her bare feet on the floor.

"It's not a big deal." He said softly, walking to her kitchen and turning on the sink.

She followed him. "It is a big deal, it is your birthday and I do not expect you to do the dishes in my home." She said turning off the water. For once he conceded without an argument and she hid another yawn behind her hand.

"I better go, it's getting late." He said as he headed towards her couch to put his shoes back on.

"Do not leave just yet, I have something for you." She said disappearing down the hallway to her bedroom before coming back with a box in her hands. Passing it off to him, she was almost shy as he carefully tore off the paper, it was surprisingly heavy for the size of the box. "I know it has not been the best day. . . " She fell silent as he lifted the lid of the box.

Inside the box was filled to the brim and it revealed a flipbook of movie tickets to the cinema that played old films down the road from his apartment, a day-by-day 1001 Places to See Before You Die calendar, a copy of Disney's Three Amigos, a renewal to his Entertainment Weekly notice, an OSU money clip and some pens taken from a training they had taken a month ago, a collector's edition autographed Brain Matter CD and an autographed Thom E. Gemcity book that had not been released yet, a novelty keychain from the Smithsonian with his name on it attached to a grow-your-own crop circle and finally a watch. Each in its own a feel good item that reminded him that she knew him all too well. "You are very hard person to shop for." She commented with a smile as he picked up the watch.

He frowned as he recognized it. "This is the same watch that Jason Bourne wears in the series." He said in slight awe. She had also gone above and beyond to search for it, he had wanted it forever and had mentioned it when they watched it.

She nodded and he excitedly hugged her with his free arm. "You approve?" She asked modestly as she tucked her head into his shoulder while his cheek rested against her hair.

"It's amazing!" He said giving her shoulder a squeeze. "These are the best gifts I've ever received."

He put the box down on the small table by the door and gave her a proper hug. "I am glad you like it."

"Like it? I love it!" He said, kissing the top of her head before he grew somber. "Thank you."

Her smile was soft in his chest, allowing herself to bask in his warmth for only a moment longer before she took a step back. "I cannot take all of the credit, it is from all of us." She answered and he opened his mouth to speak again, but she beat him to it. "The handfuls of pens are from Gibbs, he is sick of you taking his and then not return them when you are finished oh and the calendar is from him also. You can probably figure the rest."

"I will remember to thank them tomorrow." He said and they fell into a silence, broken by another yawn escaping from. He opened the door and yawned himself. "Well I guess this is goodnight?"

She stood on her tiptoes and pressed a nipping kiss on his lips. "Happy Birthday." She said in a whisper and he stepped out in the hallway after a moment of surprise.

"Good night." He said quietly.

"Good night." She returned and rested her head against the door as she watched him walk down the hallway, with a final wave he descended the stairs and out of view.

She shut the door with a sigh and went to bed.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Girlfriend Duties

Author: SplishySplash

Characters: All

Pairing: Tony/Ziva

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Friendship

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Summary: Ziva and Mr. Miami spend Christmas in Switzerland, well that is until Ziva gets a call and has to come home.

"_The miles are getting longer it seems, the closer I get to you"_

'_I'm coming home, to the place where I belong. Where your love has always been enough for me. . .'_

Daughtry

**Chapter 4: Home**

She hadn't been to Switzerland in many years, let alone allowed herself the luxury of skiing down the Swiss Alps with a guy she met in Miami. The new Ziva was apt to more fun activities because she could have fun, not because she was undercover, under orders or in the process of doing something else. Her skiing companion named Russ Calloway, had grown up skiing in this particular region had graciously invited her along and she knew what he expected from her, maybe it was time for it.

The flight was long, but they had hit the ground running with a small stop at the lodge to drop off the luggage he had whisked her up the chairlift to hit a few runs before the sun set completely. Ever the gentleman Russ had ordered a suite with two bedrooms and they both slept deeply from the jetlag and excitement of skiing in the sunset.

The next morning was just as fast pace and it was still very early when they were both on the slopes again. Russ had taught her some tricks, but was surprised when she quickly perfected it was teaching him new things.

"I thought it didn't snow in Israel." Russ asked with an amused smile as they walked into the lodge and they deposited their gear.

She shook her head with a laugh as she pulled her coat. Her hair was matted with sweat under a headband and her cheeks rosy from the cold. "I does not, but it does not mean I have never been skiing. I just haven't been in a long time." She said with a laugh. "And I am a very quick learner."

"Well you would have to be, to be a federal agent." He said with his bright smile. He was tall and strong with light hair, sun bleached from the time he spent on the beach in Miami.

Her smile was coy, she opted out of telling his that her resume included the IDF, Mossad and the fact that she was a trained assassin. She also didn't mention that she kept her weapon close to her at all times. "Well you have some skills for being a journalist." She teased, pulling the headband off her hair before taming it with a tie.

"I am a photographer, thank you." He said with a playful glare. "For the freaking National Geographic and don't tell me you don't know what that is, because I personally gave you one in Hebrew."

Maybe she omitted that she was an American too? Russ was taken by the fact that she was from Israel, something about him taking a tour of the Gaza Strip. It was illustrated in the National Geographic that he had given her and he said it was one of his favorite trips. "Oh right." She played back with a bright smile as they headed up to their suite side by side.

He unlocked their door and they stepped inside of their sitting room, when she turned to face him he had a different smile one she knew well, it was full of lust and she knew what would come next. "So I hope I am not too bold if I tell you that I made reservations at seven at Kronenhalle and it is one of the most famous restaurants in Zurich."

Her heart raced slightly. "I would like that." She said with a smile and looked at the clock. "I better get ready."

He nodded and went into his own bedroom as she went into the other. Slowly she took a deep breath and took her clothes off before stepping into the shower. As the warm water soothed her aching muscles she closed her eyes, she hadn't been on a date and/or slept with anybody in awhile but scolded herself for being nervous because it was something she was very talented in.

She brushed past her nervousness and allowed herself the comfort of the warm water to cover her body. When the water finally ran cold she stepped out of the shower into a room full of steam and full on confidence, all of her insecurities washed down the drain.

In her room hung the navy blue capped sleeved dress that fell to her calves and was 'totally hot' according to Abby. The thought of her friends made her frown, she hadn't thought of them since she had gotten on the plane. After nearly killing Tony for his little prank she had wished them a happy holiday and that was that.

She crossed her room to grab her blow dryer when a small wrapped box fell onto the floor and with a curious frown she bent down to pick it up. Slowly she began to unwrap it, wondering who had slipped it into her luggage without her noticing. She carefully lifted the lid and gasped when she saw the shimmering gold against the light.

It was a charm bracelet.

The bracelet had only three charms on it, one was the Star of David, the Washington Memorial and the other gave away who had hid it into her luggage. The other charm was a small Eiffel Tower, the moment that solidified their friendship. A small slip of paper rested in the box and she gently pulled it out, not to disrupt the bracelet.

The familiar scrawl from Tony almost made her homesick. _Merry Christmas Ziva! _It was very simple and she smiled, it was so unlike him to just be simple. He probably wrote it when he was in his depression phase.

She glanced from the bracelet to the small digital clock and frowned, it read near five and the restaurant was over forty minutes away. She sat the box down and went into the bathroom and started to try her hair. She was slightly amazed at the thoughtfulness of the gift that he had given her, she had only gotten him the complete Magnum P.I. series per his begging for it.

With her blow dryer plugged into the adapter and into the wall, she started the task of making herself beautiful in hopes to pursue their flirting into something more physical.

Her efforts paid off as her hair fell into soft curls, her makeup not overly done like usual and the dress fit like a glove. When she looked at herself in the mirror she was impressed as a knock on the door made her jump slightly. She grabbed the bracelet from the box and attempted to put it on as she opened the door. It took all self control for her jaw not to drop, he was dressed in a fitted black suit pants and a deep burgundy colored shirt. "Wow, you look beautiful."

"Thank you. You look great yourself." She said and looked down to her bracelet. Russ took the initiative and clasped it together. "Thanks."

"It's pretty. I have always had a fascination with the Eiffel Tower." He said as they neared the door, she grabbed her small clutch and coat and followed him towards the door.

She looked at her wrist and sighed. "Me too." She pulled the door closed behind them and headed towards his rental car.

The drive was slow because the roads were slick and conversation wasn't forced, they talked about their work and travel around the world, he talked about growing up skiing down the Alps as she talked about the endless hours of ballet growing up. They shared a laugh until she gasped at the sight in front of her, the restaurant was beautiful and glowing from the reflection of the snow. "You like it?" He asked as he pulled into the parking lot.

"It is beautiful." She answered with a whisper, looking from him to the building.

She didn't see his smile as he climbed out of the car and moved to open her door. Normally chivalry bothered her, but this wasn't a normal circumstance. This wasn't Gibbs' old fashioned way or McGee's force of habit or even Tony's teasing way, this was Russ trying to impress her and it was working. An unfamiliar flutter when through her as her thoughts brushed through the importent men of her life only to quickly go away when Russ held his hand out to her, she didn't hesitate to take his gloved hand in her own.

Once in the door, their coats were taken by the coat check and Russ spoke in effortless German to the host who nodded enthusiastically as he led the Great Russ Calloway towards his private dining room, Ziva pretended not to understand what was being said and his strong hand went to her back to follow. "Danke." Russ said as he pulled out her chair.

The waiter was waiting for them to get situated before he asked for their drink order. "He said that the house wine was a favorite of Pablo Picasso." He translated for her, slightly flushed in the cheeks. What the waiter actually said that the beautiful lady would enjoy the wine of Pablo Picasso.

"I would like that." Ziva answered quietly, Russ nodded to the waiter and soon they were serenaded with a string quartet from across the restaurant. "This place is breathtaking." It was filled with art and chandeliers dimmed to create an intimate mood.

"It is not all that is breathtaking." He said lowly, taking her hand in his.

She smiled at him. "You are a charmer." She said.

"Only for the beautiful ladies." He shot back playfully, she fought rolling her eyes because she had had this conversation before, or a form of it with Tony and she had seen it in many of his movies. The guy had many positive traits but originality wasn't one of them.

Their moment was interrupted by the waiter bringing them glasses of wine and bread. He asked if they were ready to order and Russ froze. "Do you know what you want?" He asked.

She looked at the menu and her eyes scanned the pages. "Not yet."

"Would you like any suggestions?"He asked timidly as the waiter waited patiently.

She looked up over the menu. "Sure." She said, she didn't really need the help because it did have an English translation if she needed it, as well as Russian, French, Spanish and Hebrew. She was set in the language department.

"I find the Mistkratzerli to be amazing. It is baby chicken cooked in garlic and rosemary." He said almost excitedly.

"Okay, I will have that." She answered closing the cover of the menu and handing it to the younger man. He was dressed in a cummerbund and black slacks, his hair was oiled back and his smile was small. "Thank you."

He nodded as Russ ordered the chicken and some tomato soup. "I ordered some soup, I hope that is alright." She nodded, even though she hated tomato soup. "So tell me something."

"Tell you what?" She asked playfully, taking a sip of her wine and looked at her glass. It was good wine.

He shrugged and mimicked her, taking his own modest sip. "Anything." He answered. "Tell me about your family."

It was almost like a stab through her heart, but she was a great actress and placed a smile on her face. "There is nothing exciting about my family." She lied. "I grew up in Tel Aviv, spent summers in Haifa with my brother and sister. Tell me about your family."

He took the distraction with ease and she let go of the breath she was holding discretely as he talked about his brother breaking his arm on the same hills they went down earlier. They share a laugh as he reminisced, but she didn't give up any real details of her past.

The soup was placed on the table and she swirled it around for a bit before her cell phone rang from her clutch at her side. With a surprised look she pulled it out and he looked at her expectantly as she saw the name flash across the screen. "I need to take this." She said apologetically and stood up.

"Do you have to?" He asked placing a hand on her arm to stop her.

She looked at her phone again and nodded. "I have to, they would not call me unless there was a problem. . ." She opened the phone and pressed it to her ear. "McGee?" She walked away into the privacy of the hallway.

"I'm sorry to disrupt your vacation . . ."He said fuzzily from the other end, she looked on the clock and calculated the time to be near two in the afternoon in Washington.

She pushed her finger into her ear to hear him better. "It is okay, what is wrong?" She asked loudly through the fuzz.

His words came out broken. "It's . . . ital. . ." Ziva frowned and moved towards the window and it cleared up.

"Wait you are breaking up." She said, her heart rate picking up quickly. McGee wasn't very good at covering up his anxiety.

McGee took a deep breath. "Tony's dad had a heart attack and is in critical condition." He said.

Her heart dropped into her stomach. Tony had just reconciled with father and now suddenly he might lose that bond that had just formed between the two of them. "Where is Tony now?"

"On his way to New York, we just got the call thirty minutes ago." McGee said, Ziva ran her hands through her curls impatiently. "He is a mess."

She was in Zurich, Switzerland and Tony needed her.

"Get me on the next flight out of Zurich." She said firmly. "I do not care how many layovers it takes, get me to Tony."

"Okay." McGee said on the other end without question, she could hear him furiously typing. "The next flight is in an hour and a half, if you hurry."

With a determined sigh she stood up tall. "I will be there. I will keep in touch." She closed the phone and trotted back to Russ who was patiently waiting with their baby chicken. Russ jumped up at her sudden abruptness. "I am sorry Russ, but I have to go."

"Go? Go where?" He asked, standing up confused.

"I have to go home right now." She said and started to trot towards the exit, when he grabbed her arm to stop her and it took all of her self control to keep from hitting him.

He looked worried. "What is going on Ziva?" He asked.

She sighed, suddenly annoyed with the man who had invited her thousands of miles from Tony. "My friend's father just had a massive heart attack and he needs me. I need to get to the airport." She said collectively, already forming a plan to hurt the man if he tried to stop her again. "I am truly sorry." Russ looked defeated and watched as she asked for her coat, rushing out the door.

Once outside the cold winter air chilled her as a bright yellow taxi idled in front of the old restaurant with the driver leaning against it and he gave her the once over. "Are you Ziva David?" He asked in English, his accent laced thick with German and French undertones.

"Yes." She asked with a raised brow and the man moved to open the door for her.

"I vas sent to take you to the airport." He said and she nodded, silently sending a prayer for McGee who was quick on his feet to arrange her trip back home. She climbed in the old taxi that was surprisingly clean and the driver climbed into his own, footing the gas pedal to the floor and they sped off.

She searched her clutch for her phone and it didn't give away anything, Tony hadn't tried to call, text or even email her and McGee hadn't sent her an itinerary, she was flying blind and that made her uncomfortable.

They arrived to the airport in what was probably record timing and she searched her clutch for money to pay the man with. He held up his hand, dismissing the small amount of Euro that she had on her. "Do not vorry, it has been taken care of." He said, she was glad that she got the only honest taxi driver in all of Europe.

"Thank you." She said running into the doors and almost immediately she saw her name on a sign held by a woman dressed for business. Ziva approached her with caution and the woman's stony expression turned into a soft smile.

"Ziva David?" She asked and Ziva nodded breathlessly, her accent was surprisingly American almost with a southern twang. "My name is Special Agent Cora Sanders and I was asked by Agent McGee to give you these." She handed her a manila envelope and slowly Ziva peeked inside the contents. A copy of her passport, visa and her plane tickets as well as a small stash of cash filled the envelope. "Agent McGee said that he wasn't able to get any direct flights, so it is going to be a very long trip home."

She was relieved really, that McGee had made sure she was set. "Thank you." She said slightly stunned and the Agent motioned for her to follow her.

"Agent McGee had asked that I see you to the gate." The agent said and Ziva nodded, following her down a busy hallway and flashed her badge at the security gate before speaking in rapid German to the guard who had allowed them right through with a suggestive smile towards Ziva.

The path towards the terminal was only slightly familiar, but she was distracted and only focused on not running into anybody, her mind swimming with thoughts of her partner who was suffering by himself on his way to New York, but it was probably worse than she imagined because she didn't get the details.

Before she even realized, she was bid farewell and a Merry Christmas from the agent and walking down the skyway to the plane. As she took a seat in a middle seat near the front, she mentally chastised herself for her lack of attention to her surroundings, she didn't even know where this plane was taking her.

Next to her was an elderly woman who smiled politely and on the other side of her was occupied by her claustrophobic twin sister. She could feel the nervousness radiating between the two of them, the one next to the window for being separated and the other for being in the plane. She leaned back against the seat and closed her eyes as the plane taxied away from the airport. As the plane began to pick up speed, she felt bad.

For abandoning Russ the way she did.

He liked her, hell she liked him. She sighed as the plane started to rise and instructions came over the intercom in both German and French that the plane was on time to Paris and that they would be there if forty minutes.

Maybe it just wasn't meant to be, she had her priorities and her love life at the moment wasn't one of them.

The plane jolted and the woman to her right tensed and whimpered. It was going to be a long flight. Long was an understatement, the seemingly clear dark skies had given away to phantom turbulence and the woman to her right who Ziva had learned named Marion, had a phobia of flying and had to get to the birth of her great granddaughter or something. She spent the better part of the time trying to calm both her and her sister down in French.

Half way to Paris the women had worked themselves into hysterics. It took all of Ziva's patience, two stewardesses and a bottle of brandy that was stowed away by the captain in the cockpit to calm them into a stupor and when the plane landed, they had to be carried off the plane.

Ziva had to run barefoot through Charles De Gaulle airport to catch the next flight to London Heathrow Airport and when she finally made it to the terminal, she was the last person to board and she gained dirty looks from the steward trying to close the gate. Luckily for her and the people on the plane it wasn't full and she had a row to herself to close her eyes, dozing in her place until a hand was placed onto her shoulder.

When she opened her eyes, the super tall and super skinny flight attendant asked if she wanted something to eat. She shook her head with a glare and plucked the Sky Magazine out of the pocket and borrowed a pen from the lady across from her to do the Sudoku puzzle in it.

She completed that and the crossword puzzle, Tony would've been proud of her movie knowledge skills as the plane landed in London and her mood had improved a little bit.

This time she didn't have to run to her next gate, taking advantage of the long walk to stretch her cramped legs and to check her messages. Pulling the phone out of her bag and pressing the power button gave her nothing, the battery was dead. Not only was she at the midpoint of her travel, her communication was down also.

Her muscles ached and she wasn't even on the longest stretch of her trip. The news on the passing TV's warned travelers that flights out of Heathrow were touch and go, depending on the weather but her flight to Boston looked promising.

At least it was only delayed and not cancelled.

Just outside her terminal she used the pay phone to call Tony. Having to call collect, type in her credit card number and finally his cell phone headed nothing but his voicemail. Slowly she hung up the phone and took a calming breath. She repeated the process and called McGee.

It rang and Ziva looked at the large LED clock that was across the terminal. It was late in London and she did the math and it made it near early evening in Washington D.C. "Hello?"

"Tim." She said with a sigh of relief.

"Ziva?" He asked and she could hear him shift the phone against his face, probably looking at his watch. "How is . . . London?"

"Quiet, it is late." Ziva answered with a yawn to prove her point. "There is a delay because of the weather."

He was typing quickly and she could hear it in the phone. "According to NOAA, there should be a good enough window for your plane to get out and Boston will be clear, New York is beautiful despite the situation."

"You are in New York?" She asked surprised.

"We all are. Gibbs flew out with Tony and then Abby and I came up after I squared away your travel." He said. "He's talking to the doctors right now." Before she could ask about it.

Her hand went through her tangled hair. "What happened?" She asked, holding her breath.

"He was in a car accident, it's still unclear if the heart attack caused the car accident. He hasn't been stable since he was brought here and now the doctors are performing a triple bypass and they are discussing with Tony the reconstruction portion of the surgery."

Ziva angrily wiped a tear that had slipped from her eye. "Reconstruction?" She asked with a gasp.

"He's got a lot of broken bones, but I don't know any more than that until Tony gets back." He said before a voice came into the background and the phone was passed to another voice.

"Are you almost back yet?" Asked an upset Abby.

"I am in London, my flight leaves in twenty minutes." Ziva answered, forcing herself to calm down. She didn't know what it was about Abby that made her so emotional, but the tears started to slide down her cheeks.

A small hiccup of a sob escaped Abby's mouth. "I have never seen him like this , well except when we thought. . . you were gone. . ." She said. "Looks so lost, he needs you."

"I am almost home." She said as her flight was called to board. "I have to go, just tell him I will be there soon." Abby said her goodbyes and Ziva slowly hung up the phone. She crossed the terminal and waited in line to board the plane, slightly relieved to know that Tony wasn't alone.

Luckily for her, someone was watching out to her and she was magically upgraded to first class. The friendly stewardess led her to her much bigger seat, which gave her more room to stretch out and she did. Almost immediately she placed her clutch into the front pocket and wrapped her blanket tightly around herself, dozing off because she knew that she needed to be alert when she got to New York.

When the plane finally landed some six hours later, the sun hadn't risen yet and surprisingly enough she felt almost well rested, even though she didn't really fall asleep. "Thank you for flying with American Airline and welcome to Boston." Said the voice over head and Ziva sat up straighter, suddenly looking forward to not flying for awhile after this trek.

She got off the plane and walked across the terminal to the TV screens that held the flight information. Boston to LaGuardia was leaving in fifty minutes, two terminals over. She rolled her eyes and trotted to the metro train that luckily was waiting for her. Unluckily for her the train moved at the speed of glue, rattling slowly across the icy tracts towards the first terminal.

The train stopped and all its occupants had to get off, to get through customs before she could catch her last flight. She brushed passed the business professionals, who looked as if they were hitting the ground running literally and even though the airport was abandoned the line for the customs was long. With a huff she got behind a Japanese family, with two irritated children and two English to Japanese dictionaries. She rolled her eyes, wasn't it supposed to take this long if you were an American.

A man in TSA uniform marched down the line. "If you are an American, than go to the second lane." He said gruffly and Ziva released a sigh, taking the advice to the much shorter 'American' lane. Two people in front of her gave her a bit of relief and not five minutes in the new line it was her turn.

She pulled out her passport and sat it on the table and the older woman looked it over. She typed furiously on the computer and it beeped. "I'm sorry Ms. David, but I cannot accept your passport." She said handing it back to her.

"What do you mean you cannot accept my passport?" She seethed, slamming her hands on her desk.

The woman glanced over her glasses. "I'm sorry, but your passport has been flagged. You may contact your embassy. . ." She started and Ziva quickly interrupted.

"I am an American citizen!" She roared. "I need to get to New York."

The woman tensed up and tried to be nonchalant about pressing the panic button. "I apologize, but there is nothing I can do about this, if you contact. . ."

Ziva was seeing red as she forced her feet to stay planted on the linoleum. "I have been traveling for fourteen hours and I need to get to New York. . ." She said until a rough hand on her shoulder and turning her around. Two TSA agents stood shoulder to shoulder, looking firm and ready to take her out if need be.

"Please come with us Ms. David." He said sternly and with a deflated sigh, she followed towards an employee entrance. The bigger of the two stopped and faced her, his stony expression turned into a small smile. "I apologize for that."

She looked at him confused as the other one spoke. "She is a mean old lady." He said with the matching smile. "You have only been flagged because Special Agent Timothy McGee had asked we hold your flight until you arrived and make sure that you get on that plane."

"He did that?" She asked and followed them to a golf cart that was waiting for them.

The bigger one rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I owed Tim a favor and this was easy." He said as he climbed on the back of the golf cart, Ziva took the passenger and the other agent took the driver's side and soon they sped away from the customs gates towards her destination.

McGee had really taken care of her.

They stopped at her terminal and she jumped off. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." She said rushing to the walkway.

The two men shared a look. "You forgot to tell her that someone was picking her up in New York." Said the other man and Tim's friend's face fell and all he could do was shrug his shoulder before returning back to work.

*~*/

Gibbs checked his watch for what was probably the third time and was about to call McGee to double check that Ziva had gotten on the plane. Until he saw her come from the security exit with her hair twisted into a knot at the back of her head. She looked up to see him above the crowd and her dark eyes made contact with his blue ones, as she weaved against the early New York populations and stopped in front of him. "Gibbs?" She asked surprised.

He looked her over and could see just how tired she was with the dark bags under her eyes. "Phone dead?" He asked and she nodded behind her hand that was covering up her yawn. He opened his arms to her and she stepped into his welcoming embrace. Her muscles were tense from four flights and over fifteen hours of flying. She missed being home in America and she didn't realize until she sighed against her boss.

She nodded again before she sobered up and took a step away from him. "How is Tony?"

It was Gibbs' turn to sigh. "Senior is still in surgery, had a double bypass and had to go back for another one." He said. "Junior needs you."

It was a very un-Gibbs like comment and Ziva was too jetlagged to think about it. He led the way through the exit and through the parking garage to a rental SUV. Silence filled the vehicle as he drove towards the hospital and the New York skyline filled her view. She had always loved New York City, mostly because she secretly loved Broadway and partly the fast pace of the city, but she is here to be with her partner who was in pain.

Ziva had slipped her shoes off her feet and closed her eyes. It wasn't until Gibbs had shook her awake to see that the sun had started to rise and that they had arrived at the hospital. She opened the door and slid her shoes back onto her feet before following him into the hospital.

The elevator took him to the third floor and almost instantly he turned to face her, as if he knew that she was coming. He crossed the room and she met him halfway, wrapping her arms around his neck and he lifted her off the ground while burying his face into her neck.

To their coworkers, it was a scene from one of many of Tony's movies as Abby and McGee stood up to see what had caused Tony to move so fast. They watched in awe as Tony melted against her and Ziva was whispering to him.

Gibbs stood behind them holding Ziva's shoes in his hand and just watched. Tony whispered to her and she nodded against him, he couldn't hear what he was saying to her but she whispered that she wasn't going anywhere. As stubborn as he was for the rules, Gibbs knew that Ziva was what he needed to pull him through this no matter the outcome, he had become so dependent on her in the last year that now that she was here in his arms, he would be okay.

McGee and Abby had moved to Gibbs, giving the pair some privacy. "I think I need a Caf-Pow." Abby announced, loud enough for the whispering pair to hear her. Gibbs and McGee followed her back into the elevator and down to the cafeteria. With a heavy sigh Abby grabbed the largest cup and poured the red liquid into it as Gibbs and McGee filled their coffee. "I don't think I have ever seen anything like that before."

They sat around the ugly hospital cafeteria table in silence. The silence was unbearable for Abby, who fidgeted in her chair. "Do you think Tony is going to be okay?"

Gibbs nodded and took a sip of his coffee, but McGee spoke. "Ziva just got off 4 different flights to be here with him, he will be okay." McGee said.

Abby took that answer and another sip from her Caf-Pow. "It is rather romantic." She said between sips. "But I do hope Tony Senior is okay though."

McGee looked down at his cup. "He is tough." He answered, not that he liked the man but for Abby's reassurance. "Just like our Tony." He was here for 'his' Tony, their Tony who know way to much about movies than what was normal, teased each of them (except for Gibbs and Abby, really and well Ziva too) and over all had a heart of gold.

Gibbs looked at his watch, the doctor had promised them an early briefing which was due to happen any minute. He stood up and they looked up at him slightly confused. "Come on." He said and then followed him back to the elevator.

When they reached the floor, it had appeared to be empty but upon further inspection they saw the pair. Abby cooed slightly at the sight of them asleep on the loveseat that she had vacated not that long ago and had spent the majority of the night on, Tony's head was on the arm of the couch with his body stretched down it, with his feet hanging off the edge and flush against his body with her back laid Ziva held into place by his hand that held hers tightly at her stomach and his face was buried into his neck while hers was buried into his arm that was a make shift pillow.

Gibbs, like the father-figure he was grabbed his jacket from the back of the other couch and wrapped it over the two of them. The three of them took the other couches, just watching them sleep or picking up a random magazine or just staring into space as the sun rose completely.

A doctor came out and Gibbs stood up, as did McGee and Abby. "How is he doc?" Gibbs asked quietly.

"The second surgery went beautifully." He said just as quietly, looking over the son of the man he had just spent a total of 10 hours working on. "He should make a full recovery, with a lifestyle change."

The room seemed lighter and Tony wasn't even awake to hear the good news. McGee moved to shake him awake when the doctor stopped him. "You don't have to wake him just yet, he'll have at least an hour in recovery and then once he's in his own room he can have visitors."

They knew it was more for Tony's benefit, but didn't argue it. "Thank you, doctor." Gibbs said and took a seat back down to his magazine.

For now he would let them sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Girlfriend Duties

Author: SplishySplash

Characters: All are in play

Pairing: T/Z

Genre: Friendship

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Summary: Tony has a little stalker and Ziva helps him lose her.

**Save the Last Dance**

He wasn't sure why he was there really, just that he was told to show up dressed in his very expensive tuxedo with his colleagues who were also dressed up to the nines mingling around the large hall of the Ronald Regan Building. His partner in particular stood out, a powder blue single strap dress that fell to her smooth calves in waves and her curls were pinned back and tamed back by a white flower.

She turned heads of everybody at the annual Navy Ball.

Her smile was genuine as she broke the heart of yet another man who had asked her to dance. The man returned the smile before turning on his heels in search of other prey and when her attention turned back to him, he caught tell end of her own smile as he walked over to her and handed her a glass of champagne. "What is that the seventh guy you've turned down?" Tony joked with a playful smile.

Her eye brows shot up daringly. "He was only the third." She said smiling her thanks at him.

"Only?" He scoffed in disbelief as he took a sip of champagne.

"Well the territorial glares from you and the look that Gibbs is giving me . . ." She started as she made her thinking face. "That paternal look that the overprotective father gets when a boy comes to take his daughter to the big . . . I do not know what the word I am looking for. You know from Ten Things I Hate About You."

"I think you mean prom, but you get points for the movie reference." He said proudly, looking for their boss who was talking with Ducky and a bunch of other people that Tony didn't recognize. Gibbs didn't bat an eyelash in their direction and he turned back to her expectantly.

She frowned and raised a hand in the boss' direction. "He is not going to do it now that you are here." She said but she was wrong, Gibbs surveyed the room with his normal stony glare.

"That isn't paternal, that is just how he looks . . . Ow!" Tony joked and she poked him hard in the chest. Her playful glare went to innocent at record speed. He rubbed the spot gingerly with a glare. "And I do not do territorial glares."

It was her turn to scoff. "I am just surprised that you do not have a club." She said taking a sip of her champagne with a smile.

He was about to retort when he saw her.

Tony DiNozzo groaned and ducked behind Ziva. "What are you doing?" She asked, looking around for the cause of Tony's discomfort. He pointed a finger at the woman coming down the stairs who was dressed almost like a . . . peacock? A feathery material exploded at her waist and billowed to the floor and her corset like top was held up by two straps that seemed about ready to break. "Who is she?"

He turned his back to her, but didn't stand to full height. "She's this girl. . ." He started and Ziva's eyebrows shot up, this woman was definitely not in Tony's taste. "Ok she is the SecNav's secretary and I swear she follows me around." The woman zeroed in on Tony and even though his back was to her he knew it. He took Ziva's hand and led her to the dance floor. "Dance with me?"

She rolled her eyes. 'Dance with me' was code for kick her ass if she comes close, but allowed herself to be swept onto the dance floor. Tony held her close, his arm tightly around her waist and he held her hand in the other beginning to sway side to side. "You are scared of her." Ziva stated without question and a smile as he ducked behind her head.

"This woman is obsessed! She started a blog about it called 'All things Tony' and she has it posted since the last time she's seen me and sends me regular updates! And she is one on one with the SECNAV, it's a double whammy." Tony whined, slightly distressed that his dancing partner had taken off her shoes making her a lot shorter and more difficult to hide behind.

To give her partner pity, she stood on her tip toes to make it easier for him as they swayed. "That is a little excessive." Ziva said as they turned so she could see her weave through the crowd towards them.

"A little?" cried Tony. "Her last blog was a two page report about my face."

Ziva snorted and buried her face into his shoulder to stifle the laugh. The glare on his face made her stop, but she couldn't hide her amused smile. "I am sorry, but it is funny." She said and to throw her off guard he dipped her towards the floor.

"Hi Tony." Said the woman of his nightmares excitedly, her makeup was caked on like a Picasso painting and he could smell the over use of hairspray radiating off her elaborate knot on the top of her head as her perfume was going to send him into an asthma attack.

"Uh hi." Tony said politely and adjusting his grip on Ziva, he was startled enough to nearly drop her, god forbid.

The woman beamed at the acknowledgement. "Did you read the new blog I posted?" She asked, her voice was abnormally high pitch. "It has been almost twenty one days, sixteen hours and . . . "

"No." Tony interrupted as he pulled Ziva back up from the dip and held her close to him. "We haven't." His cheek rested on the top of her head and Ziva smiled at the woman as she assessed the threat level. The woman was a little heavier than what Tony was usually attracted to, but it could've been the over tightness of the dress and the shoulders of an American football player, but overall in her first sweep Ziva noted her as harmless, but she wouldn't let her guard down.

The woman frowned and glared at her as if she owned Tony. "Who's this?" The woman all but demanded, giving Ziva the once over as if measuring competition, she was more obvious at the once over than Ziva had done and her smile didn't falter as she glanced at her from head to toe.

Ziva freed her hand from his grasp and extended it to her, tucking herself into Tony's side. "My name is Ziva." She said politely as if to make friends with her. "Are you a friend of Tony's?"

"My name is Bridgette and I'm a . . . close friend." She answered, still trying to gain threat level on Ziva and Tony rolled his eyes. "How do you know Tony?" She was trying to be polite, for Tony's sake.

Tony opened his mouth to speak when Ziva beat him to it. "I am his girlfriend." She said without missing a beat, he grabbed her hand again and they started to sway again, Tony spun her around and then pressed her close to her again.

Bridgette began to orbit them. "What?" She cried. "Why didn't you tell me you had a girlfriend?" She was almost accusing him of cheating on her.

Tony huffed and squeezed Ziva closer, he could tell she was enjoying him stumble over himself. "Because I don't know you." He said rudely, turning Ziva faster.

Over his shoulder Ziva spoke to her. "But we have a very open relationship." She said over Tony's shoulder and smiled at Tony's glare, Bridgette's smile lit up the room and again they stopped dancing.

"Yeah, but I wanted to talk to you about that." Tony said hiding the desperation in his voice. Ziva's eyebrows shot up again, prepared to throw him off again. "Sweetheart. . ."

"Sweetheart?" Questioned Bridgette in a whisper, but was ignored by them. Ziva smiled as she was overwhelmed with a flutter in her chest that only Tony could set off.

"I don't want to be to be with anybody else but you." He confessed. His face was close enough for her to feel his breath against her cheek and it was very intimate, it made Bridgette fidget nervously from behind Tony.

Ziva sighed. "I don't know if I am ready to make that sort of commitment, Tony." Bridgette looked hopeful and Tony rolled his eyes, she was making this difficult.

"After all the things we've been through, haven't I proven myself to be enough to be the one you spend the rest of your life with, Ziva?" He pleaded to her as if it were a scene from a movie.

She looked him over and she almost laughed in his face, luckily for him she was a professional and smiled sweetly as if she was going to be nominated for an Oscar. Tony looked almost worried that she wouldn't play along but she answered in part. "Is that a promise?" She asked, her poker face was in place.

"Do you want me to put a ring on it?" He asked slowly, this was deep stuff.

She shrugged. "A ring would be nice." She responded.

Ziva was playing dirty, playing at Tony's romantic side and knew that he wouldn't let himself be outplayed by her. He reached into his pocket and only found his car keys, he pulled them out and took a key off one of the rings and slid it on her finger. "Ziva, will you marry me?"

She raised her eyebrow and for a second he thought she would turn him down on his fake proposal. "Okay." She said and he lifted her off her feet, swinging her around excitedly. After a moment he sat her down on her feet, her body sliding down his, exciting his body with the simple movement, he was close to leaning in and actually kissing her.

Their moment was cut short by Bridgette, who huffed and stomped her foot. "I think it's time to update my blog." She said stomping away across the ballroom floor.

They looked at each other and both realized that they were getting carried away, Ziva rested her head against his shoulder to hide the hint of a blush that graced her face and he laid his cheek on her hair, just for a moment before he could feel her laughing against him and he laughed along with her as Ziva took a small step back, but not out of his arms. "She is almost Gibbs scary."

He spun her around as the song picked up in speed. "See what I mean? Her next blog is going to be an anti-Ziva coalition or something." She nodded and gave him the once over. "What?"

"I don't know how she could get two pages about your face. . ." She said with a laugh and he dipped her roughly again.

"I have a very beautiful face, thank you very much and it has gotten me a lot of things." He said defensively, not moving to pick her up anytime soon.

Ziva laughed. "It has also gotten you a crazy stalker." She said. "Now put me up."

He shook his head. "Not until you said I have a beautiful face." He said.

She shook her head and her smile turned into a playful glare. "I will hurt you, Tony." She answered playfully. He knew, even from that angle he could do serious damage to him if she really wanted to, but her playfulness was almost addicting.

He leaned close and smiled. "No you won't."

A cough from behind Tony caught their attention and he roughly sat her back on her feet. Leon Vance stood them as if he was the chaperone of a school dance. "Having fun?" He asked expectantly. They stepped apart quickly and shared a look.

"Yes director." Ziva said formally, her professional face on.

Vance looked at them expectantly, as if he had caught them doing something inappropriate or the once Gibbs got when he was about to smack Tony upside the head. The thought made him rub the spot automatically, luckily for him Gibbs was chatting with Abby and McGee across the large room. "DiNozzo?"

Tony swallowed and nodded. "I am having an amazing time." He said, turning on the charm smile. "What about you sir?"

Deflection always worked and Tony was king at deflecting. "Me too, you two stay out of trouble." He answered shortly before leaving to find his wife.

They both let out the breath they were holding and shared another laugh as they both went in search of more alcohol. They both got their respective drinks and Tony ever the gentleman pulled out her chair for her before he sat down next to her. He really was having a great time with his partner at a work function.

It felt good to be with her in such a carefree attitude, even more so because she played along with being his girlfriend to scare off a stalker. She took a sip of her drink and looked at him over the glass. "Oh thank you for being my girlfriend back there." He said, trying to end the silence.

"No problem, but we are now engaged." She joked and holding up her finger to the large key-ring. "It is no size five, but it will have to do."

Tony shrugged, downing his drink. "I will remember to pack a ring for when I spontaneously propose again." He said. "I didn't expect to be engaged . . ."

Abby approached them with a bright smile. "Who's engaged?" She asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet, McGee appeared next to her looking slightly annoyed.

"Me and Ziva are engaged in conversation about. . ."He started, looking to her for help.

"A movie we watched a couple of weeks ago." She filled in and she snapped her fingers to remember a title of one, she looked at Tony for help. "You know the one with that guy who played the President in American President about the crazy stalker."

Tony frowned and then it dawned on him. "Fatal Attraction." She was amazing at covering up private conversations and including him in it. "Glenn Close was nominated for that, did you know that?"

Ziva shook her head surprised. "It was a very good movie." She iterated. Abby bought it, but McGee looked skeptical and chose to remain silent. Ziva got back up and extended her hand to McGee. "Come dance with me McGee."

That threw them off the scent that they were lying. McGee willingly accepted the offer to dance with her, she was probably the most sought after woman in the room and everybody seemed to be scared of Tony, but Tony deemed him not a threat and didn't even bother to say anything about it as they entered the crowded dance floor. "Just save me the last dance."

She loved to dance and McGee stumbled nervously against her, but she made him look good as she talked him through his nervousness.

As the dance began to wind down, Ziva had danced a very upbeat tango with Ducky, winced when Palmer stepped on her bare toes and had managed to talk Gibbs into dancing, a feat that Abby couldn't even accomplished. But after the song ended, pressed a small kiss to her temple and turned to see Tony waiting patiently for his turn to dance with her again.

"She's all yours." He said as he went in search of one last drink, it made Tony's ears redden slightly.

He recovered gracefully as he pulled her in his arms again. He twirled her out like a pro and her dress bellowed around her and when it settled, he pulled her back to him gently. "You, Mr. DiNozzo, are a very good dancer." She complimented.

"Why thank you, Miss David." He said smiling down on her brightly, it was his charm smile turned up to max. "I'm going to be on Dancing with the Stars next season."

She nodded with a smile. "I think you will do well, but who will you choose to be your dance partner."

It only took him three blinks of his answer her. "You of course, you are the best dancer I know."

It had been awhile since somebody complimented her dancing, but then again she hadn't really danced in a long time. They sobered up as it was announced the last song was about to be played, she laid her head against his shoulder and they shared the last one in the comfort of each other's arms, just swaying side by side.

They had the knack for making it as if they were the only ones in the room.

He sang into her ear softly and she closed her eyes, allowing his heart beat and his voice to comfort her and when the song ended, it took her a moment to leave the security of his embrace. "You will do well on Dancing with the Stars." She said softly, straightening up his tie as a distraction.

He took her hands in his. "No we will do well together." He said, it was as if it solidified them as a whole. That they would do well, no matter what. "But you are going to have to make it famous in order for that to work."

She tossed her head back and laughed loudly. "Why do I have to be the one to be famous?"

He shrugged and wrapped an arm around his shoulders as he led her off the floor, to find his jacket and her shoes. "Because you are beautiful and a very good actress, your little charade earlier should've gotten you an Oscar."

She nodded. "But I am a dancer, so you should be the one to be famous." She commented. "You would fit in very well in Hollywood."

He pretended to think about it for about a blink of an eye. "Okay deal." He said with a soft smile, as he helped her into her long coat and she buttoned the double buttons as he slid his hands into his own jacket and his hand went to the small of her back as he directed her towards the door. "Come on Tiny Dancer, let me take you home."


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Girlfriend Duties

Author: SplishySplash

Characters: All are in play

Pairing: T/Z who else?

Genre: Humor/friendship

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Summary: Gibbs was being punished for something, Vance didn't usually send them to conferences right?

**Chapter 7: Cold Toes **

She had finally settled to sleep when her phone vibrated next to her pillow and a quiet groan escaped her lips as she glanced over at her roommate to see if it had woke her, because her patience was wearing thin with the 'girl talk'. When the Goth inhaled deeply, Ziva knew she was in the clear to check it.

_You awake?_

It was a text from Tony who was three floors down from them. They had spent the better part of the day stuck in a car and arrived to the hotel late, a last minute conference that needed security or something, they hadn't been briefed yet. As for Abby, she was there for the state of the art equipment that was the keynote for the conference and after some unprofessional pleading she got the okay from Vance.

_No_

She texted back and put the phone down, closing her eyes tightly, willing herself to fall asleep.

The hotel only had two rooms left, leaving Abby and Ziva to bunk on the tenth floor and 'the guys' on the fourteenth, all five too tired to argue. After fighting Abby for the shower and bearing the interrogation of her love life, she had finally fallen asleep. She slept like she was dead and it probably didn't help that she slept in a coffin normally, but her hands were crossed delicately over the top of her blanket and her face was expressionless. Her pasty white skin glowed under the moon that snuck in through the windows adding to the effect, making her look creepy. Ziva rolled over and faced the wall, exhaling forcefully and closed her eyes.

Her phone vibrated again.

_Yes you are. I can't sleep._

She rolled her eyes, of course he would keep her awake. Partners share right?

_Turn the phone off and close your eyes._

She knew that he wasn't going to give up and when it vibrated again, she picked it up and almost laughed at him.

_I CAN'T sleep, that's the problem. McSnores is out of control and the couch is hurting my back!_

The three of them shared a two bed suite, it was no contest that Gibbs got a bed but it was a battle between Tony and McGee for the other one and obviously Tony had lost. She wondered how Gibbs was dealing with his snores and then her phone vibrated again.

_Gibbs wouldn't share his other set of earplugs. I offered him my first born child and he laughed. _

Ziva chuckled at his desperate attempts to fall asleep and she rolled onto her back to look at Abby who hadn't moved.

_I do not think McGee would have a problem if you were to climb into bed with him._

She could imagine his distaste and let off a small laugh, Abby wouldn't wake up if the building had caught fire and the stars started to fall from the sky but other than looking like she was dead, she was a decent roommate.

_Really? I hear likes to cuddle in his sleep, so if I felt lonely then I got that part is covered. PLEASE ZIVA! I beg you to help me._

He was being overly dramatic, but it was either deal with him being whiny or deal with him grumpy in the morning and she didn't know which one was worse. Sharing a bed with him would overly be the easiest thing to do than killing him tomorrow.

_Fine_

She sat her phone down and forced herself out of bed to pad across the floor barefoot to a soft knock on the door. She looked though the peephole and on the other side was her partner clad in basketball shorts and a t-shirt. Pulling the chain from the lock she opened the door to his warn out smile. "That was fast." She commented, locking it up behind him.

He shrugged, he didn't bother to put shoes on just a pair of black flip flops he had planned on using when he went swimming. "I was waiting on the couches across from your elevator for you to say okay." He said with a yawn.

She moved to allow him to walk past her so she could lock the door behind him. When she turned around he was already in her bed, on her side of the bed no less. She glared at him as she climbed over him to the other side of the bed, but not without a well placed knee in a very important part of his anatomy.

He cried out as she settled herself under her covers on the side nearest to Abby. "That wasn't nice." He said when the pain subsided, he laid on his back and glanced at her with a glare on his face.

Her look was innocent with a smile resting on her lips. "I do not know what you are talking about."She said sweetly, she was also on her back and facing him. He opened his mouth to retort when she turned her back to him. "Good night."

"G'night." Tony whispered as he watched her breathe deeply for a moment before he too turned his back to her and sighed, the comfort of the bed and the silence was welcoming. He couldn't complain about sharing a bed with Ziva was easy because she was small enough for him to stretch out and still not touch her, touching her would cause problems.

Ziva smiled as she buried her face into her pillow as he found a comfortable position on his side and he took the covers with him, her smile turned into a frown as she tugged them back over to her and he allowed her to take it back.

Sometime in the night Tony had pulled the blankets off of her again as the room turned into a meat freezer causing Ziva to shiver under the white sheet. The below zero temperature woke her up and she rolled over to look at Tony, who was laying comfortably on his side facing away from her and he looked content curled up in all the blankets while she suffered next to him. They would have to deal with a cranky version of her tomorrow if he didn't share the blankets soon and/or suffer like her, a cranky Ziva was worse than a cranky Tony any day.

She curled up into a tighter ball and she realize just how cold her toes were and an evil idea crossed her mind as she stretched her leg over to him and brushed her frozen toes up his smooth leg, he only twitched his leg away and buried his face deeper into the pillow. Ziva scooted closer to him to do another sweep along his long legs, this time it woke him up.

He jumped and fell off the bed, landing on the floor with a thud. "Goddamn." He rasped from the floor, looking around confused.

Ziva couldn't contain her laughter and it almost hurt in her frozen state as she crossed his warm side of the bed to look over and check on him, propping herself up with her arms. "What the hell was that for?" He said looking up at her with a glare. "Your feet are like ice cubes."

"I am cold, so yes my toes are cold." She said with a laugh.

He gave her a tired version of his angry glare, even though the view from the floor was prime because he could see a lot more cleavage peeking up from her top. "Yeah I can tell, but I don't understand why you had to attack me with your cold toes." He growled, looking up at her from the floor.

"Because you are hoarding all of the blankets and I am freezing."

He growled and closed his eyes, annoyed. "It's hogging the blanket." He corrected. "Why didn't you just take the blanket instead of waking me up if you were so cold?"

She laughed again and Abby mumbled in her sleep, causing Ziva to look behind her to make sure they didn't wake her and luckily they didn't, Abby had only shifted under her covers and sighed deeply. "I did not take the blanket because you had a tight grip on it." She said looking back at him with an amused smile. "Are you going to sleep on the floor for the rest of the night?"

"Probably." He said with a shrug. "I think I broke my back."

She rolled her eyes and then crawled back into her spot, laying on her side facing away from him before Tony climbed back into bed with the blankets in tow. He tossed them over her and his arm around her waist, pulling her to him and she yelped as she was slid back into him. "Tony." She scolded into her pillow.

"Body heat is the most practical source of heat, well. . ." He said with into her ear, his face was buried into her hair and he was content. "We can't have sex with Abby in the room, which would be better source of body heat."

She laughed into the pillow and he tightened his grip around her. "Good Night." She whispered she was comfortable and warm under his embrace enough to fall asleep.

Her phone vibrated and her eyes opened slowly. They hadn't moved from their position since she had woke him up with cold feet, his mouth rested on her shoulder and it was amazing that he wasn't drooling on her.

He felt her stir against him and he suddenly felt wide awake. "Good morning." He said hoarsely.

"Morning." She said turning to face him and his body practically covered hers, their noses were touching. Tony liked to cuddle in the morning and Ziva didn't mind it, the morning air was chilly and with Tony's body entwined with hers she was content to lay in bed all day.

That it until she remembered that she was sharing a hotel room with Abby, who moaned and began to stir. Tony lifted his head off Ziva's shoulder to look over at her. "You probably should go before she wakes up." She whispered.

Abby bolted straight up and Tony carefully slid to the floor as Ziva paled slightly. Ziva slowly sat up and stretched her muscles, Abby turned to look at her still in her zombie like state and with a half smile she threw the covers off of her and padded heavily to the bathroom.

Tony looked for the clear and Ziva gave the signal for him to escape, with the agility that he had seen in movies, but the coordination of just waking up he tip toed towards the door. As he worked the complicated lock system Abby thrusted the bathroom door open and he froze.

She padded blindly back to her stuff that was at the foot of her bed and Ziva motioned for him to just go, but he couldn't risk it. She grabbed her shower stuff and blindly went back into the bathroom with a slam of the door. Both released a sigh of relief and Tony gave a small wave before stepping out the door.

Ziva sat on her bed and brushed her hair in relief that Abby hadn't caught Tony, first she would be angry because she 'lied' to her about seeing anybody and then she would turn into a teenager looking for gossip before proceeding to tell Gibbs, not in the rushing up to him and passing on gossip version but the in passing and not really meaning to say anything.

Abby finished her shower and came back in, wrapped in a big towel and her hair twisted in another towel and she stopped, looking at Ziva with a confused look. "What?" Ziva asked, reaching for her flat iron to run it through her wavy hair.

She sniffed the air before glancing back at her. "Was Tony here?" She asked with a frown. "It smells like him."

Ziva didn't bat an eyelash as she lied. "He came down to borrow my iPod charger." She answered half heartedly. "He had it on all night to tune out McGee's snoring."

The scientist believed it and started to ramble on about the vibrations at the back of McGee's nasal passageways, but Ziva just nodded in the appropriate places until Abby returned to the bathroom to finish getting ready and Ziva sighed as she leaned over the bed to set the flat iron back down, it really did smell like Tony in her bed, the smell of Armani, hair gel and something that was distinctly Tony. He smelled good and she had to force the thoughts away to finish getting ready, but more importantly to get through the day.

Tony slid into the bedroom and much to his luck, Gibbs and McGee were both asleep. He shut the door quietly and snuck across the room back to his makeshift bed. Just as he slid under the blanket Gibbs' alarm clock went off and as Gibb shut it off, Tony closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep.

Gibbs threw his covers off and sat up, his bare feet hit the floor as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked around the small room as he pulled the ear plugs out of his ears. McGee slowly started to stir awake and he glanced over at Tony, who hadn't moved.

McGee sat up and glanced at Tony as Gibbs wandered to the bathroom. He threw a pillow at Tony and he jumped. "Oof!" Tony said sitting up with a glare before tossing the pillow back. "What was that for?"

"Get up." McGee said walking over to his suitcase.

"I am awake." He answered annoyed as he got up to get dressed, settling for his black slacks and red button down shirt suiting for the professional casual for the conference. He was fully dressed when Gibbs came out sporting his sports coat and polo shirt and if it was possible for him to look confused, this was it. "Morning boss."

He ignored him as he grabbed his badge and wallet, shoving them into their respective pocket as Tony finished putting on his shoes. He headed towards the door and signaled him to follow, obediently Tony got up and followed. "We'll meet you down stair." He said to McGee and as soon as they were alone in the hallway.

As they neared the elevator, Gibbs gave him a look that made Tony step out of range of his fist, he shifted nervously and he knew Gibbs knew something, it almost made him take the stairs.

"Aren't you a little old to be sneaking out at night?" He asked after the doors shut. Tony was like a trapped animal as he bounced on the balls of his feet and he fumbled to come up with a valid reason for his disappearing act. "I'm not stupid DiNozzo." The evidence was against Tony and Gibbs enjoyed making him squirm under his steely gaze. In reality, he wasn't asleep when Tony had left the room and he knew it was in search of better sleeping conditions. "If you weren't sneaking out, you would be complaining that your back hurts and you would still be asleep."

"I . . . I . . ."He stumbled as the elevator stopped on the tenth floor to reveal Ziva and Abby on the other side

"Good morning." Ziva said with a smile and both women stepped into the elevator. Gibbs stepped back and Abby stood next to him, being the rays of sunshine she is it distracted Gibbs from interrogating him.

"Good morning Ziva, Abby." He said politely and made a face at her. Gibbs watched as they silently communicated and half listened to Abby's weird dream. He gave her a pointed look and she countered that with a smile and her very practiced look of innocence.

To Abby, it looked just like her 'you're grumpy Tony' smile, the one that annoyed him because she was in a good mood and he was not, but Gibbs knew that Tony didn't sneak out to meet with a random stranger, but that he had bunked with his partner. "You're not even listening to me." Whined Abby and it distracted the partners to look back at her. "Not you."

Gibbs turned his gaze to her. "You were saying?" He asked her politely.

"Anyway. . ." Huffed Abby as she continued rambling and the elevator came to a stop on the first floor. Tony gave Ziva a small shove off, gained a glare from her and whispering to her in code.

Gibbs rolled his eyes and in two strides he gave them both whacks upside the head as he walked up between them. "What was that for?" Asked Abby as she turned to see them both wince and sorely rub the back of their heads.

"They know what they did." He said and they walked towards the hotel restaurant, followed by Tony and Ziva who still stood by the elevators arguing in whispers. "Hey you two, come on!"

They froze and glanced over at Abby and Gibbs, who were waiting patiently for them to finish their argument. Both with plastered smiles, they walked over to them and it was Tony's turn to cover. "Let's eat, I am hungry."

She mumbled something under her breath and gained a playful glare from Tony. Gibbs rolled his eyes and turned his back to them to get in line for the restaurant, it was going to be one of those days where the two of them were going to be unbearably inseparable and it was going to give him a headache. He looked behind him to see if McGee had made his way back down only to see Ziva to punch him in the arm and Tony wince in pain before giving her a small shove. "DiNozzo, David keep your hands to yourselves."

A respective "Sorry boss/Gibbs" came from both of them and he sighed, rubbing the annoyance from his face, he was like the principle to a bunch of third graders.

Vance was truly punishing him by sending all of them to this conference.


	7. Chapter 7

Title: Splinter

Author: SplishySplash

Characters: Tony Ziva Gibbs McGee

Pairing: TZ

Genre: Humor/Friendship

Disclaimer: I own nothing. This is my attempt at a Ziva centered fic from Tony's POV in third person…

Summary: He wasn't sure where he got the splinter, he just knew that he couldn't get it out by himself.

He leaned against his desk and chewed on his left index finger. Somewhere in the span of getting up, getting ready and getting to work, not only did he beat everybody else in, but he had gotten a splinter in his finger. It was deep under his skin and he just couldn't get it with his right hand, his teeth weren't doing the trick either and he groaned.

The little foreign object was mocking him as he groaned in pain. The groan mixed with the ding of the elevator forced him to glare in that direction, his pride couldn't handle being mocked for getting a splinter and his pride took an even bigger hit when he saw Ziva walk in, with a small smile on her face.

She gave him that look and knew that she was zeroing in on him, her face held her 'I know you are hiding something from me' smile as she craned her neck to give him the once over. She sat her bag down with a thud and before he realized what was going on, she was right in front of his desk waiting patiently for him to acknowledge her. "Good morning, Tony."

He looked up and inwardly groaned, when Ziva David zeroed in on something it was like a nuclear missile heading in your direction. "Good morning." He said through his finger, he chewed on his finger.

Her hands supported her weight on the table and she lowered herself down to his eyes, allow his eyes to wonder down to the gap in her shirt for just a moment. Enough for him to stop chewing on his mouth and with her ninja like reflexes she grabbed his hand, pulling his finger from his mouth. He mentally cursed himself, he knew that she knew that she could get a rise out of him if she just leaned a bit forward.

She examined it thoroughly, seeing the imperfection in his skin. "I can get that for you." She answered, looking up at him.

Tony shook his head. "No I'm fine." He answered, trying to pull his hand out of her vice grip, but no avail. She tried to pick at it with her pinky and index, but being the practical agent she was, she kept her nails short and manicured.

She turned to him with a firm gaze. "You will lose your precious finger and I will never hear the end of it." She said as she came around the desk, turning him in the chair with her. She squinted and brushed a finger over it causing pain to rush through his hand.

"Ow!" He cried and with a surge of strength pulled his hand free. "That hurts."

She shrugged and turned like she was giving up. "See if I care if you get gangrene and lose your hand." She said and it distracted him enough for him to find himself on his feet in an assassin death grip. Ziva had turned around so that her back was nearly pressed into his chest and his arm was gripped tightly between her side and her arm.

He flexed his hand and she yanked on his finger, holding his hand closer to her face as she looked for the edge that she could grab. He had torn off the very tip, just out of reach of her finger nail. Pressing his arm harder into her side she took her other hand and pulled out her knife.

She was dramatic at that, with the flick of the wrist the blade flipped out with a deafening crack and Tony flinched. This crazy chick was going to cut his finger off! "ZIVA!" He whined, but didn't move his hand, he knew that she had excellent knife control, but he wasn't willing to chance the loss of one of his favorite fingers.

The worst part of this position with her is that he couldn't see it behind her small frame but he could feel her nimble hand hold his hand tightly and she maneuvered the knife with the other. He could feel her body tense against him and it made his body tense tighter, he could feel his hand sweat nervously.

He winced as she poked deeper into the hole and his eyes closed, before he was overwhelmed by the smell coming off of her, a mixture of vanilla and lavender, it was soothing almost. Not enough to make him forget that she could easily cut his finger off.

It felt like he stood there for ages that he didn't even realize that his forehead had drifted to her shoulder, that is until the elevator dinged and the she moved from the gentle sway from her breathing to a jerk of his muscles. "I got it!" She exclaimed and he fought the urge to move, be it excited that she got the foreign object in his hand or scared that someone had walked in on them in such a position, not that he minded much.

She dropped his hand and he felt relief for the first time since discovering it, she held the small object between the knife and her finger, examining it closely while he examined his finger. Surprisingly enough his finger was where he left it, no blood coming from it AND no tear to his skin save for the hole created by the splinter. "What are you guys doing?" Asked McGee suspiciously from behind them, they could hear his footsteps slow to a stop.

Before Tony could turn around, Ziva turned to show him the object she pulled from his finger placing her body right up against him. To get a better look he placed his hand on her shoulder before he shared a look with her. "I have no idea where it came from." Tony said and he looked to his finger again.

Ziva shrugged and stepped back, folding her knife and replacing it back into her pocket. "See it wasn't that bad." She answered with a smile as she stepped to the side of his desk. He took a seat back in his chair and smiled back at her, one of those that made the damsels swoon. Ziva David was no damsel, but she was fun to play with.

His smile turned into a pout as he held out his finger again. "You didn't kiss it better." He said leaning back into his chair to gage her reaction and McGee froze midstride to watch.

She wasn't shy, they both knew that so with the roll of her eyes she grabbed his hand in between both of hers and brought it up to her lips, pressing the lightest of kisses to his finger. It was almost too gentle to be coming off this fiery, passionate woman and yet when her lips came into contact with his fingers it was like his brain shut off and yet a thousand thoughts went through at the same time as he fought to control the urge to pull her lips to his. He snapped out of it almost as quickly as the small kiss ended and she stood back up to full height. "Are you better now?" She said, clearly not as thrown off as he was in the little display of affection.

But he caught himself in the blink of an eye and sat up straighter. "Yes, thank you." He said, his charm smile tripled in size and magnitude.

"Not a problem." She said turning tightly on her heels and walked back to her desk, Tony laced his fingers at the back of his head and leaned back to watch her go through her morning routine. Gun and badge go in the drawer first, followed by her backpack stashed neatly under her desk, sit down and work contently on paperwork until Gibbs arrived and told them otherwise.

It was as if she could feel him watching her and so she looked up with a smile that matched his own. "What?" She asked with a small chuckle.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing." He answered.

She glanced at her computer screen before resting her elbow on the desk and a small smile on her face. "Then do not point your charm smile at me." She said lightly. "It is distracting me."

His smile grew bigger as he leaned forward to taunt her back, but was quickly put back in place as Gibbs brushed passed between them. Then he realized something so astronomically big that it nearly knocked him out of his chair, Ziva David had fallen for his charm smile.

She wouldn't have kissed his finger, in front of McGee who would tell Abby, who would tell the world, if she hadn't. He almost wanted to mark it on his calendar to see if there were other things he could get away with or just how far he could push her buttons without something being launched at his head. If she was willing to kiss his finger with a charm smile, what would she do for puppy eyes?

"DiNozzo, are you going to join us sometime soon?" Asked Gibbs from the elevator, Ziva's eyes gleamed with amusement and McGee let off a chuckle.

He jumped up and grabbed his bag before trotting the space to the elevator. "Sorry boss, I was just thinking." Tony said finding his place behind Ziva as they waited for the doors to open.

Gibbs scoffed after a moment of silence as they stepped inside the elevator. "That's hard to believe."


	8. Chapter 8

Title: Girlfriend Duties

Author: SplishySplash:

Pairing: TZ

Rating: K+

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Summary: Ziva gets to play nursemaid, again.

**Ambulance Rides **

He had been chasing after a man who murdered a Petty Officer over an argument involving a loan. The guy was quick, but Tony tailed him and by some miracle he had gotten in front of Ziva in the chase. As he ran at top speed he could feel his lungs start to burn and his stomach start to growl, maybe he shouldn't have stolen some of McGee's donut holes from his desk before sprinting like a mad man, but on the plus side he was close.

But as karma had it, for stealing from McGee probably, he tripped on the uneven ground sending his body in one direction and his knee in the other as he landed on the ground in a thud.

Two shots fired and through his pain he could see the suspect fall before withering in pain as pain ripped through his own body. He tried not to cry out as a pair of cold hands found their way to his arms followed by a concerned looking Ziva and he tried to focus on her, but her attention went down to his leg and her face fell slightly. "Oh Tony." She whispered, before she wasn't alone. McGee appeared in his vision and she looked to him. "Check the Petty Officer, I did not kill him."

He didn't hear what McGee responded, but he nodded and disappeared from sight. Her attention turned back to him as he tried to sit up. "How bad is it?" He mumbled through the pain.

Ziva blocked his view of the damage. "I need to reset it." She answered shortly.

He crumpled over into her shoulder, if there was one person on the planet to get him reset his knee it would be her. "Just do it." He grunted and his body tensed against her small frame as he felt her cold hands on his knee and for a brief moment he pretended to feel relief that is until he could feel her manipulate his knee as gently as she could.

The cracking of his knee was loud and his cries were muffled by her shoulder, it hurt as much as it did when it ended his basketball career. When she was finished, she turned to hold him in her arms and allowing the tears to fall into her shirt. He could feel her talk to somebody, probably McGee and he groaned. "What is wrong?" She asked.

He sighed and buried his face into her neck. "McGee." He whispered and she knew it was an image thing.

She ran her fingers through his hair as she shook her head, even a small laugh escaped her lips. "It's okay, I won't make fun of you until you are off the crutches." McGee said lightly as the ambulance drove into the alleyway. Tony groaned and it came out as a sob with his heavy breathing and Ziva chuckled slightly.

"I will hurt him for you." She whispered tenderly, pressing her lips to his forehead as the paramedics surrounded them and the bleeding Petty Officer, who was seemingly forgotten. Ziva was shuffled back as he was bombarded by questions and hands all over him.

Ziva frowned at McGee who shrugged his shoulders. "I've called Gibbs and he's on his way." He said with a sigh, but watched as they loaded Tony onto a stretcher and into the back of one bus. He looked at Ziva, knowing full well that she wanted to go with him, but felt the need to stay behind with McGee. "Go ahead."

She looked at him with a raised brow as McGee tilted his head in Tony's direction. "Are you sure?" She asked as she trotted towards the man in pain.

McGee nodded and shooed her with her hands. "I got it." He answered and she mouthed her thanks to him as she trotted to the bus, but not without a stiff arm preventing it.

"And you are?" Asked the mean looking paramedic, but Ziva wasn't going to play his bullying game. She immediately got on the defense, placing her hands on her waist to make herself seem taller, but the man stood his ground.

But for Tony sake and the sake of getting him to the hospital she resigned. "His girlfriend." She lied with a stern glare and ducked under his arm into the bus. He mumbled something under his breath that would normally warrant him a broken nose, but she chose to let it go as she sat next to Tony, immediately his hand found its way around hers and she smile softly as she wove their fingers together.

"You came!" He said happily.

Her head dropped, hiding the small smile. "Of course I came." She said lightly, pinching his cheek with her other hand. "They gave you morphine."

He nodded. "Thank god and whoever else is up there, because that didn't feel too pretty." He said lazily.

"It did not look to pretty either." She answered lightly. "Are you in any pain?" She brushed his hair off his forehead.

"Not really." He said, his voice was higher in pitch. "I'm not hallucinating yet, getting there though." At least he was being honest to himself, Tony on drugs was uninhibited and a romantic.

"That is good then." She said with a laugh, they fell into a companionable silence and eventually his eyelids grew heavy, the exertion mixed with the pain medications.

It was as they neared the hospital and Tony fell completely asleep he mumbled her name. "Z..?" He asked with a yawn.

"Yes Tony?" She asked softly.

"Would you really beat up McGee?" He asked.

She squeezed his hand and smiled. "Of course I would. Nobody picks on my Tony and gets away with it." She answered, her finger tracing his jaw line as they pulled into the hospital driveway, she sighed glad that he was drugged out enough to not realize her mistake. He was pulled out of the ambulance, immediately missing the warmth of her hand against him as he was shuffled through the Emergency Room door.

The paramedic gave her a dirty look and rolled his eyes. "If you're gonna stay then fill these out." He grumbled at her, throwing the paperwork in her direction. She smiled politely, mostly to annoy him more and to keep herself in check.

She looked over the document and began to fill out the intimate details about her partner, _Name _Anthony DiNozzo (big D, little I, Big N and little ozzo).

McGee was annoyed.

After processing the scene alone, awkwardly with Gibbs, he had the pleasure of returning to the office to start on the mass amount of paperwork, which took hours with the three of them, was going to take him until New Years to finish.

That is until he heard the elevator open. Normally he didn't look up at the ding, but the gait coming from that direction was not normal. Ziva came off the elevator with Tony in crutches in tow, it surprised him when Ziva slowed her pace to walk with him and even more surprised to see him laughing, obnoxiously and high. "McGoo!" He said excitedly between clinking of the rubber on the floor. "You didn't come visit me in the hospital."

McGee's face fell slightly. "You were only there for a couple of hours, Tony." He said as Ziva placed a cup of coffee into his hand and sat behind her desk, most likely gathering her belongings to go home for the evening.

"I woulda come visit you." Tony huffed before he yelped as Ziva passed him to his desk. McGee smiled slightly as she pinched him in the gut on her way to his desk, to grab his belongings. "Hey!"

Ziva gave him a playful look. "Do not harass McGee." She said lightly.

Tony pouted, obviously due to the morphine and other drugs in his system it was a wonder really how he was still standing. "I thought you were on my side." He said as she stood back up with his wallet and keys in her hand.

She patted him on the cheek. "Of course I am, just do not pick on Tim." She turned to McGee and smiled brightly. "Good night, Tim."

"Good night." He said as they slowly made their way to the elevator, he watched as Ziva pushed the button and they waited. McGee looked back to his paperwork and realized that his eyes were blurring up. That is until he heard Tony yelp a second time. Ziva was facing the silver doors and Tony leaned on one crutch and reached out to pull on her hair, like a school boy with a crush.

Ziva turned with a sharp glare and he put his hand down. McGee shook his head, she was in for a long car ride back to his apartment. A small laugh escaped when he could hear Ziva threaten Tony as they stepped inside the elevator.

"Tony, I will break your hand if you do not keep it to yourself."

Tony laughed. "No you wouldn't, you loooooooooove me." He said dragging it out playfully and McGee froze, wondering how exactly she was going to recover this. Tony usually was resigned with his feelings, but not at the moment.

But Ziva rebounded, having dealt with this a few times in the past six years or so, with such grace that it stunned McGee. "Of course I do." She said pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. "But I will still break your hand if you do not keep it to yourself, my love."

The elevator dinged and in his stupor, McGee wondered if she realized that he could hear the whole exchange between the two of them, but then again the they had a knack for making it just the two of them in a crowded room. They stepped/hobbled inside and disappeared, leaving McGee to ponder his thoughts.

His silence wasn't long as the door dinged and she stepped off in a huff, slightly startling McGee. "I forgot his jacket." She said lightly with the roll of his eyes. Tony must have gone from lovey-dovey to drama queen in the span it took to get to the lobby floor. She picked it up and folded it over her arm before stopping in front of McGee's desk. "Do not overwork yourself McGee."

He ran his hands through his hair, making it stick up in all directions. "I'm almost done here." He lied and she raised her brow.

"We can do it in the morning." She said before she stopped herself short. "Well Tony can do it in the morning, since he is on desk duty for a while."

McGee groaned. "He is going to absolutely unbearable!" He could already imagine all the forms of his name Tony could imagine, or the harassment from boredom.

Ziva shrugged her shoulders as her cellphone rang and judging by her reaction it was Tony. "Welcome to my life." She said as she neared the elevator. "Goodnight Tim"

He stretched his aching muscles and turned off his computer. He couldn't really complain, Ziva really had to deal with the brunt of Anthony DiNozzo.


	9. Chapter 9

Title: Girlfriend Jobs

Author: SplishySplash:

Genre: Humor

Pairing: TZ

Rating: K+

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Hope you enjoy on the day of the premiere! I had this big fluffy make out session ending to this one, but I nixed it because it didn't fit in with the GF/BF job storyline… don't hate me. I got the idea from a JAG episode where Mac bails them out of jail the night before Bud gets married. Let me know what you think… I'm going to update, NO next…hopefully

Summary: Ziva bails him out of jail.

**Bailout**

The phone rang.

Instantly the agent rolled over fearing a new case and answered it. "David." She said hoarsely, picking up her alarm clock with her free hand, the LED lights mocked her as it flashed 0200. "I am on my way."

They sat at the bar at the most crowded club in D.C. area. McGee downed his third shot, gagging slightly as the yellow liquid traveled down to his stomach. "Oh my god." He choked as his eyes opened.

"Strong?" Tony asked with a laugh, he nursed a single beer that still sat half full on the counter.

He whistled at the bartender and pointed back to the counter. "Two more please."

McGee's eyes opened wide. "Are you trying to kill me?" He gasped as two more identical shots made its way in front of him. He downed another shot and his eyes closed as the alcohol started to take its desired effect of numbness.

"No, I am not trying to kill you. I am trying to. . ." He shouted loudly over the music before he was interrupted by a hand colliding with the back of his head.

"Get him wasted." A voice yelled from behind them, it was barely heard over the loud music head. Gibbs appeared from nowhere with Ducky in tow. They were as out of place as a polar bear vacationing at a volcano and it didn't really surprise him to see them there.

Tony sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "I was trying to help." He said with a frown. McGee downed his fourth shot and stumbled slightly.

"I don't think my liver agrees with that." He said as Ducky sat next to him, Gibbs took a seat next to Tony as the bartender placed more drinks on the mahogany counter. The music changed to a song high in the _thud, thud, thud_ and McGee bounced his head to the beat.

"A cure for the broken hearted?" Ducky asked, his accent thick and smooth as he took a sip of the clear liquid from his glass, his bowtie catching the attention of some of the younger gold diggers, each of which he either missed or ignored.

"Not broken hearted just really, really. . ." He started as he downed the rest of Tony's beer, gaining a glare from him. "Really, really. . ."

"Pissed off." Finished Tony, as McGee forgot what he was talking about. "What are you guys doing here?"

Ducky shrugged and Gibbs downed the bourbon. "Can't a couple of friends getting a drink after a hard day of work?" Ducky answered loudly and visibly cringed at the sound of the music, he turned to see the inebriated people bumping and grinding to the beat.

Tony looked around the busy room unconvinced it was not the usual hang out for him to hang out let alone both Gibbs and Ducky. He suddenly understood, somebody probably sent the two older men to keep an eye on the two younger ones and that somebody was probably Abby, she was concerned about McUpset and had asked Tony to get him out of his funk (her words, not his), or get him completely plastered whichever came first, which also meant Abby sent Gibbs, who brought Ducky along as backup, after him to keep an eye on both of them, to make sure McGee still had dignity at the end of the night. "Abby sent you?"

Gibbs shook his head negatively. "No Ziva did." He said taking another sip from his glass.

Tony made a face and didn't try to hide it. "Ziva?" McGee said loudly, gaining looks from the younger partiers that surrounded them they were as out of places as a bird in the bottom of the ocean. "Why would Ziva want YOU here? This isn't your basement."

Tony choked on his beer, trying to hide his laugh and Gibbs flashed his smile. "No, it isn't my basement McGee." He said in stride. "Ziva was concerned for your wellbeing and to make sure that you don't do anything stupid."

Tony frowned and sat up straighter to come off more adult like. "I am responsible with my alcohol, that is why I am only drank the one and I didn't even finish. . ." He started to explain the responsibilities of a designated driver when Gibbs held up a hand to stop his rant.

"You might be, but I am pretty sure he isn't." Gibbs said pointing to McGee who in the blink of an eye found himself sandwiched between two ladies dancing very unMcGeeishly.

It took all the muscle power in his jaw to keep closed as they watch Timothy McGee bump and grind with a bright smile on his face. But before Tony, Ducky or Gibbs knew what happened, the younger man sloppily kissed one of them, gaining a hard slap on the cheek from the blond girl and caught the attention of her HUGE tattooed boyfriend.

His huge fist landed into McGee's jaw, tossing the inebriated man onto the floor in a heap. Tony jumped up and Gibbs rolled his eyes while Ducky picked up the younger man off the grimy floor. Tony put himself between McGee and his assailant with his hands out in surrender "Woah, he didn't mean anything by it." He yelled over the music. "He's had too much to drink."

The man sized up Tony, clearly much taller than both him and Gibbs, and he pointed an accusing finger in McGee's direction who was being held up by the older Medical Examiner. "Nobody touches MY girlfriend and lives after, Imma kick his scrawny ass." He roared, Tony closed his eyes to keep the saliva out of it.

"I don't think that is a good idea." Gibbs answered, using his intimidating voice and the man nearly balked under his stony gaze.

His finger turned to Gibbs. "Who the hell are you, old man?" He said, gaining the attention from a group of men that were just as big as he was and they began to circle around them like sharks awaiting prey. "I just might need to kick all of your asses." He swung his big arm in Gibbs direction, who easily took a step back, but Tony wasn't so lucky and gained the blow to his face, knocking him off balance.

Before anybody knew what was going on the bigger man found himself on his back on the table that collapsed under his weight and all hell broke loose.

Two words to describe what was happening: bar brawl. The people surrounding them started throwing punches in all directions, most of them drunk and hitting anyone within fist range. It was surreal almost, watching people being flung in all directions and the sound of fists coming into contact with other body parts.

Tony ducked another punch and glared at the probie, who was slumped over Ducky. "Damn it, McGee." He cursed under his breath as he picked up a bar stool, smashing it against to back of one who cornered both Ducky and the probie who started it all. As he straightened up he saw Gibbs shove a man over the bar, completely Chuck Norris style. "Good one boss. . ." An errant elbow found its way into his nose and his hands cupped it, he could never get away from a fight without breaking his nose. His eyes stopped watering enough to see McGee get free of the medical examiner, who was throwing a few well-placed jabs of his own.

Unfortunately the alcohol in McGee's system made him invincible, in his mind at least, as he ninja kicked one very large guy in the gut and suddenly Tony wished they had brought his own ninja with them as his lip was split by the lead biker guy, because this situation would've been a lot less . . . bloody at least on the good guy team. She would've had these guys begging for mercy within five seconds of the first punch. A punch to the side of his face put Tony on the floor, where he worked up the energy to get up and an angry voice filled the room. "Metro PD, everybody get down on the floor and hands where we can see them!"

Tony looked up to see Gibbs comply with the police, placing his hands on the top of his head and lower himself onto the floor.

Ziva was pissed as she padded into the police station in her pajamas, the officer who had woken her up hadn't given her any details as to why he had woken her up so early and from the sounds of it, she had to be quick. Her flip-flops were loud down the abandoned hallway until she reached the receptionist desk only to gain a dirty look from the woman, who herself looked like she just rolled out of bed. "Can I help you?"

"Officer Sparks called me. . ." She started before the woman pointed back behind her into the squad room.

"Back there." She said before turning her attention back to the computer screen. Ziva huffed as she passed the desk through the squad door to see the lone police officer sitting behind a desk looked up.

His smile was straight from a toothpaste commercial and he gave her the once over as he got to his feet to cross the space to her. "Hello Miss, can I help you?"

She rolled her eyes at him and folded her arms, she wasn't in the mood for playing. "Officer Sparks called me. . ." She started before she was rudely interrupted by the officer.

"Oh." He said a bit dejectedly before he perked up. "Sparky is out on a call, you must be here to post bail on somebody."

She glared at the man, she wasn't sure why she was there in the first place, but she narrowed it down to either identifying a body or posting somebody's bail and the latter was obviously the right choice. He stood awkwardly in front of her and she held out her hand for him to lead the way, a hint he didn't catch. "Well?"

The cop laughed nervously as he led her towards the processing room. Without another word read over the charge sheet for one Anthony DiNozzo and Timothy McGee, she signed the paperwork and handed over her credit card before she was directed towards the cell. Her gaze darkened as she saw McGee leaning up against the bars with his face swollen and his hand holding a bloodied tissue to his nose, behind him was full of other bloodied people who were waiting to be bailed out.

He jumped up when she approached the cage, her voice sharp with annoyance. "How does the other guy look, McGee?" She asked.

McGee jumped to his feet and staggered into the bars. "Ziva! You're here!" He said loudly, gaining groans from the surrounding people. He turned to the familiar sized man next to him, whose back was facing her and shook the shoulder. "See Tony, Ziva came to rescue us."

Tony stood up and turned to face a very stern Ziva, his bruised up Cheshire cat grin took the brunt of her glare. "Like we had any doubt."

Her hands went to her hips. "They called me to identify a body, they didn't tell me it was the two of you or that you were still breathing." She answered, McGee stepped back from the bars, her tone was deadly.

His hand went to the back of his head to rub out the tension. "Well surprise." He answered trying to be funny, but he knew it wasn't what she wanted to hear and the joke immediately stopped as guilt washed over him. The dark circles under her eyes gave way to her sleep deprivation.

"You were supposed to be supporting him, not getting into bar fights." She said evenly and Tony stepped back afraid she was going to melt the steel and strangle him.

Tony threw his hands up in defense. "Don't look at me like it's my fault, he was the one who started it." He answered, she walked closer to the bars and stuck her hand into the cell pressing rudely to the bruise that was on the side of his face causing him to wince. "I just made sure he didn't get his head ripped off. . ."

"You were supposed to make sure he did not cause them either." Ziva huffed and he yelped, but didn't step back and her hand mapped the cut above his eye brow.

The moment was cut short by McGee jumping between them. "You are soooo beautiful Zeee-vah." He sung to her and as he was about to take her hand off of Tony's face, he went from pale to green in the blink of an eye and with the skills only possessed by a ninja-trained dancer she was able to fly back as he threw up.

"Smooth McGee." Tony said, sitting him back down on the bench and Ziva's hands went back to her waist in her 'I'm not playing anymore' stance.

"You know I hope Gibbs slaps you both . . ." She started before she was interrupted by the silver fox himself and it caught her by surprise.

"Don't worry, it's already been done." Gibbs said, his smile was like one she had never seen before, coy. Leroy Jethro Gibbs wasn't a coy person, but it didn't last long and maybe she dreamed it.

She suppressed the glare that Tony knew was coming as the police officer reappeared and opened the door for them to step out. She took a step back and rubbed her aching head as the four . . . four? Ducky? . . . stepped around the vomit into the hallway. Ziva turned to head to the door and Tony felt it best to stay in the back of the line, she wouldn't hit McGee, and he was sure that she wouldn't take it out on Gibbs or Ducky, surely out of respect, but Tony for that matter was her own personal punching bag.

The police officer shut the steel bar door and followed behind him. "Your girlfriend is SUPER pissed at you." He said with a slight chuckle.

Tony sighed. "I know." He said, running his hand through his hair again.

"Good luck with her, she seems like a pistol." He said with a small laugh as he closed the door behind them.

Tony let out a humorless laugh. "More likely to use the pistol to shoot me." He muttered as they exited the building and followed to her very small car. Tony groaned as she clicked the locks open and Gibbs allowed Ducky the front seat.

The only good luck he had was pushing McGee into the backseat-middle hump and he had the grace to sit right behind Ziva with his knees in her back as she floored her car onto the empty street.

The car ride was quiet, save for the screeching of the tires against the pavement. The driving seemed to lull her into a faux sense of calmness. It didn't take her long to pull outside Gibbs' house and for both him and Ducky to climb out of the car with a brief thank you/I'm sorry to wake you.

As she drove away, like normal human being, McGee's snores disrupted the silence and she looked back in the mirror, making eye contact with Tony before the two of them broke into laughter.

When they reached McGee's apartment, he was dead to the world. It took both of them to get him out of the car and standing long enough for Ziva to search for his keys. "Boy it's a good think you lost a lot of weight, or this might be difficult." Tony mumbled as they dragged him through the door and into the elevator.

When the door closed, McGee seemed to come out of his stupor only slightly to profess his love to Ziva. "Ziva, have I told you how much I love you? Nobody else woulda bailed me out of jail." He slurred. "Not even Abby."

Ziva laughed, patting him on the chest. "I love you too, McGee." She said as he slumped over to look at the pattern of the carpet. She looked over him at Tony, her look a cross between a death glare and amused. "If he kisses me, you will die." Her threat was lightened as if amusement was winning.

Lucky for him they got him through his apartment door and on the couch before he passed out or he got even more affectionate with Ziva, but as soon as his head hit the side pillow he was out like a lamp and snoring loudly. While Ziva took off his tie and shoes, covering him with a blanket and overall mothering him while Tony searched for Tylenol because he was in for one hell of a hangover when he woke up.

When he was situated, they left with the quiet latch of the door. Not a word was said as they reached her car and it wasn't until she pulled onto the main road that the curiosity got the best of Tony.

But as if she could read his mind. "I do not want to know." She answered, her playful mood diminished.

He looked her over and shook his head, she was hiding the playfulness with a frown that twitched slightly upward. "He was dancing awkwardly with this girl and out of nowhere he kissed her," He started to explain and she erupted into a large smile. "This big guy come over and started throwing punches. McGee thought he was a ninja or something and was kicking, hi-yuh-ing and throwing punches like a madman."

Ziva laughed. "Even Ducky got a couple of good hits out." He continued. "But Gibbs was amazing! He barely broke a sweat and took out at least four big guys." His recount lasted until they reached his apartment and she pulled into a stall.

She followed him up to his apartment and immediately passed him into the kitchen while he went to go change as she searched his freezer for an ice pack, coming up short of ice packs and grabbing the next coldest thing of a package of mixed vegetables, meeting him in his bedroom as his back was turned to her, pulling his shirt off. Ziva stopped to admire his muscles, smooth and strong back muscles.

Tony knew she was checking him out and enjoyed it, but he cut it short by placing a tight white tee on and turned around, pretending to be surprised to see her. "Like the view?" He asked cockily.

"Of course." She responded, stepping further into his room. She crowded him into sitting on his bed and pressed the bag of vegetables onto his face gently. It surprised him to see just how tender she could be when she wanted to be, her free hand pressed to his unbruised side of his face as she stood between his legs. She brought up his gaze to her face. "You need to stop hurting yourself." She whispered seriously, her finger brushing the cut on his lip.

He didn't say anything, only smiled softly and his hand reached up to rest on her hand. "I can't make that a promise." He answered after a long moment of silence, not breaking the intimate moment.

She leaned down and pressed her lips to his forehead. "Promise me you will try." She said.

"Okay." He said softly as Ziva stood to full height, pulling the frozen bag away from his face causing it to fall into a frown. "Are you leaving?"

She shook her head. "I am going to put this back in the freezer and go lay down on the couch." Ziva answered softly, looking over his shoulder to the alarm clock that read close to four in the morning, there was no point in going home. She disappeared down the hallway, but didn't realize that he had gotten up to follow her.

When she closed the freezer door, she startled to see him so close. "Don't sleep on the couch." He said huskily. "It's not comfortable."

Ziva nodded following him back into the bedroom and he allowed her climb in first before he followed the suit. They lay facing each other before Tony spoke softly. "Thanks for bailing us out."

Her smile was soft. "Not a problem." It wasn't long before both fell asleep.


End file.
